Skip to main content

Bucatini With Lemony Carbonara

This image may contain Spaghetti Food Pasta and Noodle
Ted Cavanaugh

Lemon makes the perfect foil for the salty richness of classic carbonara. You may never go back.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
6 ounces guanciale (salt-cured pork jowl), pancetta (Italian bacon), or slab bacon, thinly sliced, cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces
2 shallots, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
12 ounces bucatini or other long-strand pasta
Kosher salt
2 ounces Parmesan, grated, plus more
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus thinly sliced zest for serving
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook guanciale, tossing often, until browned and crisp, 6–8 minutes. Add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add pepper and cook, stirring often, just until fragrant, about 1 minute.

    Step 2

    Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1½ cups pasta cooking liquid.

    Step 3

    Add pasta to skillet along with ½ cup pasta cooking liquid and 1 oz. Parmesan and toss to coat. Remove skillet from heat and add egg yolks. Toss again, adding more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until a smooth glossy sauce coats pasta. Add grated lemon zest, lemon juice, and another 1 oz. Parmesan. Toss to coat, adding more pasta cooking liquid if needed to loosen sauce.

    Step 4

    Divide pasta among bowls; top with sliced lemon zest and more Parmesan.

Nutrition Per Serving

Calories (kcal) 610
Fat (g) 25
Saturated Fat (g) 11
Cholesterol (mg) 140
Carbohydrates (g) 68
Dietary Fiber (g) 3
Total Sugars (g) 4
Protein (g) 23
Sodium (mg) 880
Read More
Like carrot farro salad and chicken paella.
Like hot honey chicken with peaches and a dirty martini spritz.
A crowd-friendly, crisp-edged chicken and vegetable rice from chef José Andrés.
With dramatic choux layers and fruit-rippled cream, it’s the drag queen of Polish desserts.
Rotisserie chicken makes quick work of these no-cook rolls with a spicy peanut sauce.
Tender, buttery breakfast pastries with crisp caramelized edges, a fragrant cinnamon-orange filling, and a crackly sugar topping.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Loosely inspired by pasta Amatriciana, a few pounds of zucchini stand in for tomatoes.