Plate of pasta carbonara with black pepper and a creamy sauce

Italy · Italian

Pasta Carbonara

A Roman-style pasta carbonara with classic, vegetarian and vegan adapted versions, keeping the wheat pasta and creamy peppery sauce structure clear.

  • Italian
  • 25 min total time
  • 2 base servings
  • 3 versions
  • 4 compatible options

Country

Italy

Cuisine

Italian

Servings

2 servings

Prep

10 min

Cook

15 min

Total

25 min

3 versions

4 compatible options

Makes 2 servings of pasta carbonara.

Scale the sauce ingredients carefully and loosen with hot pasta water so the sauce stays glossy.

Adapt this recipe

Customize this recipe

Adjust servings, version and allergens or avoidances to fit this recipe to your context.

Servings

Adapted for 2 servings

Version

Active version: Classic

Allergens & avoidances

4 compatible options

Adaptation status

Servings: 2 · Version: Classic · Check ingredients below

Always check ingredient labels and cross-contamination warnings.

Classic

A classic-style carbonara with wheat pasta, egg, cheese, pancetta or guanciale and black pepper.

Contains gluten, egg and milk/lactose. Keep the heat gentle when mixing the sauce so the egg stays creamy.

Version

  • Classic

Free from

  • Tree nuts
  • Peanuts
  • Soy
  • Sesame seeds
  • Fish
  • +2 more

Contains

  • Gluten
  • Eggs
  • Dairy
  • Lactose

Ingredients

  • 180 g wheat spaghetti Contains gluten.
  • 2 egg yolks or eggs Use the vegan version for egg-free carbonara.
  • 50 g Pecorino or Parmesan-style cheese Contains milk and lactose.
  • 80 g pancetta or guanciale-style pieces
  • 2 g black pepper
  • 4 g salt for pasta water

Cooking method

Pan

  1. Cook the pasta

    Boil the wheat pasta in salted water until just al dente, reserving a cup of hot pasta water before draining.

  2. Prepare the sauce base

    For classic or vegetarian carbonara, mix egg and grated cheese with plenty of black pepper. For vegan carbonara, mix oat drink, nutritional yeast and a little pasta water.

  3. Cook the savory element

    Brown the pancetta or guanciale for classic carbonara, or cook mushrooms with olive oil for the vegetarian and vegan versions.

  4. Combine off the heat

    Add the drained pasta to the pan, remove from direct heat, and stir in the sauce base so it turns creamy without scrambling.

  5. Loosen and serve

    Add hot pasta water a little at a time until glossy. Serve immediately with extra pepper.

Frequently asked questions

Does pasta carbonara contain egg, milk and gluten?

The classic and vegetarian versions contain wheat pasta, egg and cheese. The vegan version avoids egg and dairy, but still contains gluten.

Is the vegan version traditional?

No. It is an adapted version that keeps the pasta and peppery creamy-sauce idea without egg, cheese or cured pork.

Which version should I choose if I avoid egg, lactose or milk protein?

Choose the vegan version. There is no gluten-free compatible version in this recipe yet.

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