Spaghetti Carbonara Do's and Don'ts

My Trials and Tribulations

I'm not sure if you've heard of the spaghetti carbonara police. But I think they operate internationally and will immediately inform you of any mistakes you make when creating a spaghetti carbonara plate. So, I want to frame this recipe into a spaghetti carbonara do's and don'ts so you can feel good about your dish.

It is a dish that everyone screws up the first time. It's not an easy recipe and takes some time to learn the technique. So, I thought I'd share my experience with carbonara. The very first time I made this dish I started with bacon. Don't ask me why, but I've come a long way since then.

I've tested this recipe over and over again and what I hope to provide you with is a some tips and tricks that will help you make this Roman Classic. Dishes like carbonara, Bucatini Amatriciana, pasta alla gricia, or pasta alla norma can be very particular so getting them down takes time. Hopefully, this guide to Carbonara will help you get there faster!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Guanciale or Pancetta. Guanciale is what is traditionally used. It is Pork jowl and has a very rich flavor but pancetta, pork belly, is a great substitute because guanciale isn't readily available everywhere.
• Black Pepper. Don't forget the black pepper. This one ingredient will give the pasta more flavor and a slight spice to it!
• Spaghetti. It's best to use dried pasta vs fresh for dishes like carbonara or pasta alla gricia. The starchiness will give you more of a creamy and silky smooth sauce.
• Eggs vs egg yolks. I use a combination. Some people only use egg yolks. People who use whole eggs and people who use only yolks will never agree. I like the whole egg because the egg whites combine with the starchy pasta water to thicken the sauce.
• Garlic. It's an unnecessary flavor in the dish. It's not traditional. But do what you feel like because 99% of the time, someone will tell you, that you did this dish wrong anyway.

*Please see the recipe card below for more information on ingredients.

How to Make Spaghetti Carbonara

It's really not that hard. It just takes some practice to get it down. It's not that a mistake will ruin the dish, it's just that a small error can mess with the consistency. So follow the Do's and Don'ts! This image below is carbonara with pancetta instead of guanciale!

Step 1: Add the pancetta or guanciale to the pan while the pan is cold. Raise the heat to medium and fry for about 8-10 minutes or until it starts becoming golden brown.

Step 2: While the guanciale is slowly rendering and crisping up, boil your spaghetti. Constantly move the guanciale around so that it cooks evenly. Remove the guanciale with a slotted spoon but leave the oil behind.

Step 3: Combine the eggs and pecorino and scramble together while the guanciale is frying. I always use 1 egg yolk for every egg I add. This makes the carbonara perfectly creamy. The argument against using egg whites is that they cook quicker than egg yolks. I prefer it, but you have to maintain control over the heat of the pan.

Make sure the pecorino is grated down as small as possible for the best results. If it is too thick it could coagulate in the sauce and get chunky.

Step 4: Add ¼ cup of the pasta water to the oil in the saucepan and combine.

Step 5: Strain the pasta saving another ½ a cup of pasta water on the side. Add the pasta to the pan while it is still on the burner. Sprinkle with the black pepper and stir really well to combine everything.

Step 6: Remove the pan from the heat for a minute or 2. Let it cool slightly then add the egg mixture and ¼ cup of pasta water to the pasta and stir vigorously. The sauce should develop into a creamy sauce. It will be liquidy at first but keep stirring until it thickens.

Step 7: Return the guanciale to the pan and combine well. Sprinkle with more black pepper if you'd like.

It's important to remove the pasta from the pan immediately to avoid cooking the egg. You don't want to eat scrambled eggs and pasta.

The picture above shows how the carbonara will be slightly liquidy before it gets into the creamy classic carbonara texture. Just stir until the moisture continues to leave and it thickens.

Serve Carbonara alongside some Italian vegetables like Sauteed Rapini with Garlic or Garlic Parmesan Green Beans. You may want to add a little protein and have some Italian Chicken Cutlets or Cast Iron Chicken Breast to make it a full meal!

Below, I spelled out my Spaghetti Carbonara Do's and Don'ts. Hopefully, that will help you with any questions you may have.

Spaghetti Carbonara Do's

1. Start cooking the pancetta or guanciale as soon as you start boiling the pasta. It's important that everything finishes right about the same time so that the pasta is hot once it is put in the pan. If the pasta cools down too much, the whole recipe will be ruined because the egg mixture won't adhere to the pasta.
2. Use a nonstick pan if you're a beginner. The nonstick won't hold heat as long as the cast iron or stainless steel pan. That will make it easier to drop the heat enough to add the egg mixture in without cooking the eggs.
3. Grate your pecorino romano using the smallest part of the grater. The thicker the cheese is the more likely it is to clump up.
4. Use 1 egg yolk for every egg you use. It will make the sauce creamier.
5. Take the pan off the heat when you stir in the egg and pecorino cheese mixture.

Spaghetti Carbonara Don'ts

1. Don't use fake parmesan or pecorino romano cheese. Buy one that you have to grate yourself and let it get to room temperature before putting it in the pasta.
2. Don't rinse your pasta. Don't let your pasta cool. Don't break your spaghetti. And Don't forget to salt the water!
3. Don't use a stainless steel pan if it's you're first time.
4. Don't add cream or milk or butter.
5. Don't substitute bacon for pancetta.
6. Don't let the egg mixture ever sit still while it is in the pot with the pasta. Keep it moving until you transfer it to a plate.

Carbonara Pilling vs Silky

The egg and cheese mixture pilling instead of creating a smooth sauce. This is exactly what we want to avoid when making carbonara. The egg cheese mixture becomes a scrambled egg texture instead of the smooth, creamy, and silky texture shown in the images below.

This sauce has the smooth silky texture we look for when we combine the egg and cheese mixture with the pasta.

Other Carbonara Mistakes

Burnt Guanciale. This guanciale was left on for slightly too long. While still delicious this would have been better if the guanciale was more tender instead of crunchy.

Too much pasta water. Here I added to much pasta water. I was able to save this one by continuing to stir it until most of the liquid evaporated. You can also add more cheese to try and fix this!

Recipe FAQs