Italian · main
Spaghetti Carbonara
Spaghetti Carbonara reads richness 6.8, umami 6.7 and salinity 6.0 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian main, about 25 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.
The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10
- Umami & Savory — 7.5 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 0.9 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 0.0 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 2.2 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 6.8 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 2.0 / 10
The measured notes (of 18)
Richness 6.8 · Umami 6.7 · Salinity 6.0 · Funk & Ferment 2.6 · Smoke 2.0 · Heat 1.9 · Warm Spice 1.9 · Sweetness 0.9 · Bitterness 0.9
What's in it (7)
- 12 oz spaghetti
- 6 oz guanciale (cured pork cheek), diced
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 oz Pecorino Romano, finely grated
- 1 tsp coarsely cracked black pepper
- salt to taste
Time & effort: about 25 min (20 min active) · effort: easy
Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 244 kcal, 9.8 g protein, 18.9 g fat, 6.9 g carbs
Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.
How it's cooked (3 steps)
- Render diced guanciale in a dry pan until crispy, then remove from heat.
- Whisk eggs, extra yolks, and finely grated Pecorino with plenty of cracked black pepper.
- Toss hot drained pasta in the guanciale pan off the heat, adding the egg mixture and a splash of pasta water to create a creamy, custardy sauce without scrambling.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Pasta alla Gricia — Italian · Rome
- Classic Spaghetti Carbonara — Italian
- Frittata di Maccheroni — Italian · Naples
- Cacio e Pepe with Crispy Prosciutto — Italian
- Cotoletta alla Petroniana — Italian · Emilia-Romagna
Keep reading: what richness, umami, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.
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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.