Can I use pancetta instead of guanciale?
Yes. Pancetta works fine — it's leaner and milder, so the sauce will be slightly less rich. Guanciale is fattier and has a more distinct cured flavor, but pancetta is a perfectly respectable substitute.
FAQ · Things people ask
About this recipe.
My sauce turned into scrambled eggs. What happened?
The pan was too hot when you added the egg mixture. Pull the pan off the heat entirely before adding the eggs, toss quickly, and use a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen and cool the mixture.
Whole eggs or just yolks?
Traditional Roman carbonara uses only yolks (some recipes add one whole egg for volume). Yolks give a richer, more stable emulsion. Whole eggs make a looser, slightly lighter sauce.
Related · You might also cook
Keep going.
italianmedium
Roman Semolina Gnocchi — Crispy-Edged Rounds in Brown Butter
In Rome, Thursday is gnocchi day — and this is the gnocchi Romans were eating long before anyone thought to boil a potato. Semolina rounds, baked until the Parmigiano crust crackles and the interior stays soft, is cucina romana at its most direct.
70 min 4
Read 
italianmedium
Lampredotto Fiorentino: Florence's Legendary Tripe Sandwich
Lampredotto is Florence's most stubbornly local street food — the fourth stomach of the cow, slow-simmered in an aromatic broth, piled into a crusty roll, and finished with sharp salsa verde. The lampredottai have been selling it from carts at the city's markets since medieval times, and the formula hasn't changed.
110 min 4
Read 
italianeasy
Lenticchie Umbre in Umido — Umbrian Braised Lentils with Tomato
Castelluccio lentils from the Sibillini plateau have held IGP status since 1997 — small, thin-skinned, nutty, and built to hold their shape through a long braise. This is the Umbrian way: slow soffritto, crushed tomato, a sprig of rosemary, and a serious pour of raw olive oil at the table.
60 min 4
Read 
italianeasy
Mozzarella in Carrozza — The Roman Fried Cheese Sandwich That Leaks If You Rush It
Campanian by birth, Roman by adoption — mozzarella in carrozza is cucina povera at its most satisfying: a sealed bread pocket that traps the cheese so completely it's still pulling strings two minutes after you plate it.
30 min 2
Read