This plate of golden spaghetti is enveloped in a creamy, yolky sauce, peppered throughout with crispy, caramelized chunks of cured pork. The pasta is sprinkled with finely grated cheese, each strand glistening under a dusting of black pepper. A sprig of basil adds a pop of bright green to the dish, making it just as sumptuous to the eyes as to the taste buds.

Classic Spaghetti Carbonara for World Pasta Day

Name: Classic Spaghetti Carbonara for World Pasta Day
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: Spaghetti, 400 grams; Guanciale (Italian Cured Pork cheek), 150 grams diced; Pecorino cheese, 50 grams finely grated; Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 50 grams finely grated; Large egg yolks, 4; Ground black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon; Salt, to taste; Olive oil, 1 tablespoon

Category Main Course

Prep 10 minutes

Cook 20 minutes

Style Italian

Technique Boiling

Diet Friendly Low-Carb

Daily Recipe: October 25, 2025

Spaghetti Carbonara - a lusciously creamy pasta dish from Italy, showcasing a beautiful symphony of guanciale (Italian cured pork cheek), pecorino cheese, black pepper, and egg yolk. The key to this dish is to perfectly coat the pasta with the creamy egg mixture creating a rich, silken sauce.

Ingredients (for 4)

Spaghetti - 400 grams
Guanciale (italian cured pork cheek) - 150 grams - diced
Pecorino cheese - 50 grams - finely grated
Parmigiano-reggiano cheese - 50 grams - finely grated
Large egg yolks - 4
Ground black pepper - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - to taste
Olive oil - 1 tablespoon

Preparation

Step 1 - 🍝🌊⌛

Boil a large pot of salted water, then add the spaghetti and cook until al dente.
Step 2 - 🍳🥓🔥

In a large pan over medium heat, sauté the diced guanciale until well seared and crispy.
Step 3 - 🥚🧀🥣

Whisk together the egg yolks, a pinch of salt, black pepper and the grated cheeses in a bowl.
Step 4 - 🍝💦🥤

After the spaghetti is cooked, drain it but reserve about a cup of pasta water.
Step 5 - 🍝🥘🍳

Remove the pan with guanciale from the heat and add the drained spaghetti. Toss in the egg-cheese mixture and vigorously mix. Add some pasta water, if needed, to adjust the sauce consistency.
Step 6 - 🍝🥣🍽️

Serve the spaghetti carbonara immediately, garnished with some extra grated cheese and black pepper.

Additional

Carbonara is named after the 'carbonari', the charcoal workers in the Apennine Mountains of Italy who reputedly came up with this hearty dish. To switch it up a notch, you can use pancetta or even bacon instead of guanciale. For a vegetarian alternative, replace the guanciale with mushrooms. Let your kids grate the cheese to be a part of the cooking process!