Rigatoni alla Carbonara
Rigatoni alla carbonara is a wonderful variation on the classic Roman egg and guanciale based pasta dish. The ridged tubes hold the creamy, glossy sauce beautifully!
Rigatoni alla carbonara will be the answer to “what’s for dinner?” and will be on the regular meal rotation in no time!
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If you’ve already made my spaghetti alla carbonara, you know exactly how quick and easy this dish is to create. If you haven’t, welcome to one of the best pastas you will ever eat. I’m not exaggerating.
Why Rigatoni alla Carbonara?
Spaghetti is the traditional pasta shape that’s used for carbonara, and that’s what you’ll find served in most classic Roman trattorie. But rigatoni alla carbonara has become a very popular and widely accepted variation. It’s easy to understand why: the short, ridged tubes are designed to trap the silky egg and cheese sauce.
If you can source a high-quality rigatoni, something like Dal Raccolto or Rustichella D’Abruzzo, please do. The pasta really does make a difference since there are so few ingredients in this dish (however, try to ALWAYS use a good quality pasta.) I used Rigorosa from Eataly.
Two more Roman pasta dishes are cacio e pepe and amatriciana, both lip-smackingly good!
What You Need to Know About Rigatoni alla Carbonara Ingredients
The ingredient list for carbonara is unsurprisingly short for Italian pasta: guanciale, egg yolks, Pecorino Romano, black pepper, and a small amount of lard. That’s it. No cream, no garlic, no peas, and nothing else because it has no business being here.
Here are the ingredients for carbonara using spaghetti.
Guanciale is cured pork jowl, and it’s the authentic choice for carbonara.
It has a flavor than pancetta or bacon can’t quite replicate, though both will work if guanciale isn’t available where you are. If you can find guanciale, try to choose one without nitrates or a long list of added spices; quality matters.
Pecorino Romano DOP is the cheese of choice, though Parmigiano Reggiano is a perfectly respectable substitute if that’s what you have. A real Parmigiano is better than a faux Pecorino any day. Please grate it yourself from a chunk as pre-grated cheese from a bag will let you down every time. As an aside, I have bought these safety gloves and have not ever cut myself since!
The lard might raise an eyebrow or two, but Chef Stefano Barbato (whose recipe my carbonara is based on) recommends just a small amount, and I have to agree with him. It gives the sauce a gorgeous glossiness that you’ll notice immediately. The method here is identical to my spaghetti alla carbonara so you can have this on the table in the time it takes to cook the pasta!
Can I Freeze this Pasta?
Unfortunately, no-this pasta does not freeze well. It’s actually not a great pasta for reheating, either. I’ll be honest with you because no one else will: carbonara is one of those meals where leftovers are a little sad.
Rigatoni alla Carbonara – Step by Step Recipe
Recipe adapted from Chef Stefano Barbato Serves 5
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- good quality rigatoni (like Dal Raccolto or Rustichella D’Abruzzo)
- salt (less than usual for pasta water)
- guanciale (or pancetta, if you can’t find guanciale, or good quality bacon)
- lard, organic if possible
- egg yolks, pasture raised, organic if you can
- Pecorino Romano DOP cheese (or Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, if you can’t find Pecorino)
- black pepper
Start your pasta water, and put on the burner over medium high heat. Just before it starts to boil, add a little salt (this dish requires less salt due to the inclusion of guanciale and Pecorino which are already salty.)
While it comes to a boil, slice your guanciale into strips or bite-sized pieces and cook them gently in a large pan with the lard over medium-low heat. Turn of the pan as you like them, just starting to get crispy, crispy or in between.
Add the pasta when the water comes to a boil and keep stirring occasionally while preparing the rest of the dish.
Beat the egg yolks in a bowl and stir in the grated Pecorino, and plenty of freshly grated black pepper. Don’t add salt, the Pecorino and the pasta water will take care of that. Add the hot pasta water a little at a time, beating it into the egg mixture as you go, until it becomes a smooth, pourable sauce.
Once the guanciale is ready, turn off the heat. Lift the rigatoni directly from the water into the pan; a spider or slotted spoon works perfectly for this. Toss to combine the pasta with the guanciale.
Next, pour in the egg mixture and stir. This is the critical moment: keep the heat off, and keep mixing until every tube of rigatoni is coated in the sauce.
You’re looking for a silky, smooth coating, with no sign of scrambled eggs.
Plate immediately with more grated cheese and a generous amount of black pepper on top, if desired.
Serve with a white wine and salad (afterwards, not before or alongside the pasta.) Buon appetito!
- My bacon and egg pasta is a delicious non-traditional pasta worth bookmarking, too.
Give this rigatoni alla carbonara a try and let me know what you think in the comments below! And if you make it, I’d love to see. Tag me @christinascucina on Instagram.
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Rigatoni alla Carbonara (Roman Recipe)
Special Equipment
Ingredients
- 7 oz guanciale (see notes regarding substitutions)
- 1 tsp lard (organic)
- 5 egg yolks (organic)
- 5 oz Pecorino Romano, DOP cheese grated
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 lb rigatoni (high quality)
Instructions
Cook the Pasta:
- Start your pasta water in a large pot on the burner over medium high heat.
- Just before the water starts to boil, add a little salt (this dish requires less salt due to the inclusion of guanciale and Pecorino which are already salty.)
- Add the pasta when the water comes to a boil and keep stirring occasionally while preparing the rest of the dish.
Prepare the Guanciale/Meat:
- While waiting for the water to come to a boil, slice the guanciale into strips or bite-sized pieces and cook them gently in a large pan with the lard over medium-low heat. Turn off the pan when the guanciale is how you like it, just starting to get crispy, crispy or in between.
Make the Sauce:
- Beat the egg yolks in a bowl and stir in the grated Pecorino, and plenty of freshly grated black pepper. Don’t add salt, the Pecorino and the pasta water will take care of that. Add the hot pasta water a little at a time, beating it into the egg mixture as you go, until it becomes a smooth, pourable sauce.
- Now, pour in some of the pasta water a little at a time and beat into the egg mixture. It should form a nice sauce.
Combine the Ingredients:
- Lift the rigatoni directly from the water when it's ready using a spider or slotted spoon. Combine the pasta with the guanciale and stir gently.
- Next, pour in the egg mixture and stir. This is the critical moment: keep the heat off, and keep mixing until every tube of rigatoni is coated in the sauce. You’re looking for a silky, smooth coating, with no sign of scrambled eggs.
Serve:
- Plate immediately with more grated cheese and a generous amount of black pepper on top, if desired, and serve.
Notes
- As long as you know how to make the authentic Roman recipe, feel free to make your own version.
- I would advise trying to make it as written the first time to see how it is, and then making changes (as with all other recipes).
- To make the genuine recipe, you need to use guanciale and Pecorino Romano, however, if you are outside of Italy, guanciale may be quite difficult (and expensive) to source in the US, so please don’t fret if you have to use pancetta or bacon, or Parmigiano Reggiano instead of Pecorino (a cow’s milk cheese instead of a sheep’s milk cheese).
- It’s better to use quality ingredients over the correct ingredients. For example, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese would be my choice over a faux Pecorino cheese. Also, if you can buy guanciale, but it’s full of spices and nitrates, use a plain pancetta, or nitrate-free bacon, instead.
As a former resident of Rome, this dish is close to my heart. And for me it’s guanciale all the way. And I like that you used rigatoni, I actually prefer it to spaghetti.
Thank you so much, Frank! The biggest issue in the US is finding guanciale, and then a good guanciale is like a needle in a haystack! So sad. :(
Oh this looks absolutely glorious, I swear I could practically hear the guanciale sizzling while reading, Yum!
I hadn’t heard of guanciale until fairly recently and ever since, I realise it’s not the same thing as a ‘British Carbonara’ hehe. I love it uses up 5 egg yolks – that way I can make macarons with the leftover whites. It’s a win-win! Thanks for a super recipe, Christina.
Haha! With salad cream? Thanks, Jill!
I am in Rome. In the refrigerator, I have guanciale (leftover from my vignarola), eggs, and pecorino Romano. All I need to buy is some high-quality rigatoni. Your recipe couldn’t be better timed!
Oh I am so happy to hear it, David! Enjoy every minute (and every bite!)
I plan to make this Friday when we return from Malta (family visit) but, in the meantime, we have had our share of supplì from Supplizio! Have you been since they opened Neve Di Latte two doors down? My favorite gelato in Rome!
No! I have to add it to my list, but adore Supplizio!! Try the zabaione della Nonna and their nocciole (made with IGP hazelnuts) at La Romana Gelateria when you get back. It’s a chain, but I promise it doesn’t taste like one (their gelato is normally about 4 hours old when you eat it!) Safe travels, David!
I made this Saturday — Friday’s travels made things tough so we went out to Clorofilla for dinner. This recipe is fantastic, Christina. It’s different from mine — and it worked so perfectly. Now I will make it this way all the time! Thank you so much — and we will check out La Romana Gelateria! Neve di Latte has several locations, too.