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Jamie Oliver & Gennaro’s Classic Spaghetti Carbonara

Jamie Oliver & Gennaro’s Classic Spaghetti Carbonara

Jamie Oliver and Gennaro Contaldo’s classic spaghetti carbonara is a traditional Italian dish made with just a handful of quality ingredients: spaghetti, pancetta, egg yolks, Pecorino Romano cheese, and freshly cracked black pepper. There’s no cream involved—just technique. The heat from the freshly cooked pasta is used to gently cook the egg yolks, creating a rich, creamy sauce without ever turning on a burner post-boil. It’s a recipe rooted in Roman tradition, full of depth, but incredibly simple and fast to make.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: British, Italian
Calories: 520
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 320 g 11 oz spaghetti
  • 150 g 5 oz pancetta (or guanciale), diced
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 50 g 1.75 oz Pecorino Romano, finely grated
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Sea salt for pasta water

Method
 

  1. Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, according to package instructions.
  2. Prepare the pancetta: While the pasta cooks, heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add the diced pancetta and fry gently until it’s golden and crispy, rendering out its fat. Turn off the heat and let it sit.
  3. Mix the egg yolks and cheese: In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, grated Pecorino Romano, and a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper. It should be thick and creamy.
  4. Reserve pasta water: Before draining the pasta, scoop out about 1 cup of the starchy water and set it aside.
  5. Combine pasta and pancetta: Add the drained pasta to the pan with the pancetta (off heat). Toss to coat the pasta in the flavorful fat.
  6. Add the egg mixture: Quickly pour in the egg yolk and cheese mixture, tossing vigorously to coat. Add splashes of the reserved pasta water gradually to loosen the sauce until it reaches a silky, creamy consistency. Stir quickly to avoid scrambling the eggs.
  7. Serve immediately: Plate up the pasta and finish with extra cheese and black pepper, if desired.

Notes

My Tips to Make the Best Carbonara
Use guanciale if you can: It’s more traditional than pancetta and adds amazing flavor.
Use only the yolks: This is what makes the sauce luxuriously creamy without curdling.
Turn off the heat: Always mix the egg sauce off the burner to prevent scrambling.
Whisk the cheese well into the yolks: It should be a thick paste before adding to pasta.
Work fast: The pasta needs to be hot to cook the egg mixture gently.

Nutritional Value (approximate per serving)

  • Calories: 520
  • Protein: 22g
  • Carbohydrates: 50g
  • Fat: 25g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Sodium: 620mg