Uploaded April 2021 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
*I don’t plan on offering this disclaimer every time I write a recipe (although sometimes I think I should), but I am in no way saying this is the definitive way to make Spaghetti Carbonara. It might not even be “the right way?” But, this is the way I make it, the way it makes sense to me, the way it tastes best, and honestly, I think it’s great. *
Spaghetti carbonara is not my favorite of the Roman pastas to eat (I’ll take Amatriciana), but it is my favorite to make. An undeniable feat of alchemy, the ingredients for spaghetti carbonara go from watery, weird, soupy raw egg mess to a luscious, creamy, silky sauce in minutes (and then, seconds).
I have learned that many are afraid of carbonara— the scrambled egg of it all— but this recipe has enough pasta water to alleviate your concerns, and, if you’re patient enough to do things lower and slower than usual (me, talking to me), you’ll have something shockingly perfect, not one scrambled egg in sight.
What I’m saying is: Trust in the process because cooking is MAGIC. Never forget that.
FYI: The amount of sauce produced here could absolutely go the distance for double the amount of pasta, useful to know if you find yourself in bed with someone also needing some LNP (late night pasta).
Mom's Spaghetti: youtube.com/watch?v=SW-BU6keEUw
Bucatini Article: grubstreet.com/2020/12/2020-bucatini-shortage-investigation.html
RECIPE & INGREDIENTS:
anewsletter.alisoneroman.com/p/carbonara-video
VIDEO CHAPTERS:
0:00 Start
0:10 Mom's Spaghetti
0:28 Home Movies with Alison Roman intro
0:38 Intro to Spaghetti Carbonara
0:52 The Four Pastas of Rome
2:20 Slice and cook the Guanciale (or Pancetta)
4:12 Whisk egg, egg yolk, garlic, cheese, and black pepper together
6:00 Cook pasta in medium pot (salt halfway through cooking)
8:08 Whisk (just before al dente) pasta into egg/cheese mixture
9:18 Return the pasta and sauce to the skillet over medium heat
10:55 Finish the pasta with black pepper, cheese, and the Guanciale
11:38 Taste the Spaghetti Carbonara
#CarbonaraDay #Carbonara #SpaghettiCarbonara #CarbonaraRecipe
#AlisonRoman #AlisonRomanHomeMovies #AlisonRomanNothingFancy
Subscribe to A Newsletter: anewsletter.alisoneroman.com/
Find Nothing Fancy online: alisoneroman.com/nothing-fancy
Find Dining In online: alisoneroman.com/dining-in
Website: alisoneroman.com/
Instagram: instagram.com/alisoneroman/
Twitter: twitter.com/alisoneroman
VIDEO CREDITS:
Director: Daniel Hurwitz
Editor: Pierre Coupier
Director of Photography: Dennis Thomas
Sound: Joe Quarterero
*I don’t plan on offering this disclaimer every time I write a recipe (although sometimes I think I should), but I am in no way saying this is the definitive way to make Spaghetti Carbonara. It might not even be “the right way?” But, this is the way I make it, the way it makes sense to me, the way it tastes best, and honestly, I think it’s great. *
Spaghetti carbonara is not my favorite of the Roman pastas to eat (I’ll take Amatriciana), but it is my favorite to make. An undeniable feat of alchemy, the ingredients for spaghetti carbonara go from watery, weird, soupy raw egg mess to a luscious, creamy, silky sauce in minutes (and then, seconds).
I have learned that many are afraid of carbonara— the scrambled egg of it all— but this recipe has enough pasta water to alleviate your concerns, and, if you’re patient enough to do things lower and slower than usual (me, talking to me), you’ll have something shockingly perfect, not one scrambled egg in sight.
What I’m saying is: Trust in the process because cooking is MAGIC. Never forget that.
FYI: The amount of sauce produced here could absolutely go the distance for double the amount of pasta, useful to know if you find yourself in bed with someone also needing some LNP (late night pasta).
Mom's Spaghetti: youtube.com/watch?v=SW-BU6keEUw
Bucatini Article: grubstreet.com/2020/12/2020-bucatini-shortage-investigation.html
RECIPE & INGREDIENTS:
anewsletter.alisoneroman.com/p/carbonara-video
VIDEO CHAPTERS:
0:00 Start
0:10 Mom's Spaghetti
0:28 Home Movies with Alison Roman intro
0:38 Intro to Spaghetti Carbonara
0:52 The Four Pastas of Rome
2:20 Slice and cook the Guanciale (or Pancetta)
4:12 Whisk egg, egg yolk, garlic, cheese, and black pepper together
6:00 Cook pasta in medium pot (salt halfway through cooking)
8:08 Whisk (just before al dente) pasta into egg/cheese mixture
9:18 Return the pasta and sauce to the skillet over medium heat
10:55 Finish the pasta with black pepper, cheese, and the Guanciale
11:38 Taste the Spaghetti Carbonara
#CarbonaraDay #Carbonara #SpaghettiCarbonara #CarbonaraRecipe
#AlisonRoman #AlisonRomanHomeMovies #AlisonRomanNothingFancy
Subscribe to A Newsletter: anewsletter.alisoneroman.com/
Find Nothing Fancy online: alisoneroman.com/nothing-fancy
Find Dining In online: alisoneroman.com/dining-in
Website: alisoneroman.com/
Instagram: instagram.com/alisoneroman/
Twitter: twitter.com/alisoneroman
VIDEO CREDITS:
Director: Daniel Hurwitz
Editor: Pierre Coupier
Director of Photography: Dennis Thomas
Sound: Joe Quarterero
