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Carbonara

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The proper Roman carbonara — eggs, pecorino, pancetta, pepper. No cream, no garlic, no shortcuts. The pasta dish that taught a generation what restraint tastes like.

Prep 5 mins
Cook 15 mins
Servings 4
Difficulty Medium
Per serving £0.48

Approx £1.91 total based on typical supermarket prices in GB. See yours →

S by Steven Tobin · Published 4 May 2026
Carbonara

The recipe

Instructions

  1. 1
    Bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil and start cooking the pasta.
  2. 2
    Crisp the diced pancetta in a dry pan over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until golden. Kill the heat.
  3. 3
    Whisk the eggs with most of the grated pecorino and a generous grind of black pepper.
  4. 4
    Drain the pasta but reserve a cup of cooking water. Tip the pasta into the pancetta pan, off the heat, and toss for 30 seconds.
  5. 5
    Pour over the egg mixture, tossing constantly. Add splashes of pasta water until creamy. Serve with remaining pecorino and more pepper.

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About Steven Tobin

Steven is the founder, recipe developer, and chief washer-upper at Budget Dinner Recipes. A passionate home cook from a big foodie family, he's spent years collecting and perfecting recipes from across the world — from Malaysian laksas and Kenyan curries to weeknight British classics. Family meals are at the heart of e…

View all recipes by Steven Tobin →

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