This is spaghetti carbonara with guanciale, egg yolks, pecorino romano, and black pepper. The sauce turns silky because the fat and pasta water emulsify together, which means no cream and no shortcuts. Start to plate in 15 minutes.
This recipe comes from Jamie Oliver’s YouTube channel. He cracks the peppercorns and sieves out the outer skin so only the hotter inner part goes into the pan, which is something most home cooks skip entirely. That one step changes the heat level of the whole dish.
The technique that makes or breaks this is turning the heat off completely before the eggs go in. Too hot and the yolks scramble. The residual warmth from the pan, the pasta water, and the fat do the work together, which is what gives the sauce its glossy finish.
Jamie Oliver’s Classic Spaghetti Carbonara
Course: DinnerCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalJamie Oliver’s take on the Roman classic, using guanciale and pecorino instead of bacon and parmesan. Most of the 15 minutes goes into rendering the fat and getting the pasta water right. The technique does the work that cream usually does in most versions.
Ingredients
200g dried spaghetti
150g guanciale or pancetta
3 large free-range egg yolks
40g pecorino romano, plus extra to serve
1 clove of garlic
Black peppercorns
Salt (for pasta water)
Directions
- Twist spaghetti into well-salted boiling water. Cook 8 minutes until al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
- Start guanciale in a cold pan on medium-high heat. Let fat render out slowly until golden.
- Crack garlic, add to pan for 1 minute, then discard.
- Crack peppercorns, sieve them, and add only the inner part to the pan.
- Whisk egg yolks with pecorino and black pepper in a bowl.
- Turn heat off. Add pasta to pan with a splash of pasta water. Toss well.
- Once pan stops sizzling, pour in egg mixture. Toss continuously, adding pasta water gradually until glossy.
- Serve immediately with extra pecorino and black pepper.
FAQs
Can I use bacon instead of guanciale?
Bacon works but it’s leaner, which means less fat to emulsify with the pasta water. Pancetta is the closer substitute if guanciale isn’t available.
Why did my sauce turn into scrambled eggs?
The pan was still too hot when the eggs went in. Turn the heat off completely and wait until the sizzling stops before adding the egg mixture.
Whole eggs or yolks only?
Yolks only. The extra white thins the sauce and makes it harder to control on heat. Three yolks is enough for two portions.
How much pasta water should I use?
Add it in small splashes, toss between each one, and stop when the sauce looks glossy. Pouring it all in at once breaks the emulsification.
What goes well with carbonara on the side?
Keep it light. A green salad with lemon dressing balances the fat well. If you want something warm, our Garlic Bread takes under 10 minutes.
