Italian · main

Classic Spaghetti Carbonara

Classic Spaghetti Carbonara reads richness 6.3, salinity 6.2 and umami 5.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian main, about 19 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Richness 6.3 · Salinity 6.2 · Umami 5.9 · Funk & Ferment 2.7 · Herbaceous 1.8 · Warm Spice 1.8 · Smoke 1.7 · Bitterness 1.5 · Fruity 1.4 · Heat 1.1 · Nutty 1.0 · Earthy 0.9 · Sweetness 0.8

What's in it (8)

Time & effort: about 19 min · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 192.7 kcal, 11.4 g protein, 13.7 g fat, 5.3 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (7 steps)

  1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot; stir in the kosher salt.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, egg yolks, Pecorino Romano, and half the black pepper together until smooth and pale, about 1 minute; set aside.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp and deeply golden, 6 to 7 minutes; take the skillet off the heat, keeping the rendered fat in the pan.
  4. Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9 to 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the spaghetti.
  5. Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet with the pancetta and toss over low heat until every strand is glossy with rendered fat, about 30 seconds.
  6. Remove the skillet from the heat. Pour in the egg mixture and toss constantly, adding splashes of the reserved pasta water as needed, until the sauce turns glossy and coats the noodles in a silky layer, 1 to 2 minutes.
  7. Season with the remaining black pepper, divide among plates, and top with extra Pecorino Romano; serve immediately while the sauce is still glossy.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Keep reading: what richness, salinity, umami mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.