Amatriciana is a classic Roman pasta dish made with crispy guanciale (pork cheek), tomatoes, Pecorino Romano, and pasta tossed together into a rich, savory sauce. This Amatriciana recipe keeps the ingredients simple and traditional, but we add one step at the end that really takes your recipe to next-level-crispiness!
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One of the things I love most about Italian cooking is that you only need a handful of high quality ingredients to make something spectacularly delicious. Like Bucatini cacio e pepe, Homemade pasta or Mozzarella in Carrozza, Amatriciana is a perfect example of that philosophy.
What makes Amatriciana so special is the way each ingredient contributes something essential. The guanciale renders flavorful fat that becomes the foundation of the sauce, the tomatoes add brightness and acidity, and the Pecorino Romano melts into the pasta to create a creamy, salty finish. The result is a pasta dish that feels both comforting and incredibly elegant.
The best part of any plate of Bucatini all’Amatriciana is the crispy guanciale that adds texture to each bite. While eating this dish in Rome, I found one restaurant that had crispier guanciale than the rest! I realized that this restaurant was doing one special thing that the others weren’t – reserving some guanciale for topping!
When the guanciale gets added to the sauce in most recipes, it softens a bit. In this recipe, we set some of that deliciousness aside, and use it to top the pasta…. More crispy guanciale in every bite!
Key Ingredients for Amatriciana
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Guanciale: Guanciale is cured pork cheek and the traditional meat used in Amatriciana. It has a rich, silky fat that renders beautifully into the sauce while becoming crisp around the edges. While it looks like bacon, it is typically much fattier and less meaty. If guanciale is unavailable, pancetta is the next best substitute. Bacon can work in a pinch, but try to use unsmoked bacon so the smoky flavor does not overpower the dish.
- San Marzano Tomatoes: San Marzano tomatoes are naturally sweeter and less acidic than many canned tomatoes, making them ideal for simple sauces like Amatriciana where the tomato flavor really shines. Crushing them by hand creates a rustic texture that clings beautifully to the pasta.
- Pecorino Romano Cheese: Pecorino Romano adds a sharp, salty flavor that balances the richness of the guanciale. Since the dish uses very few ingredients, using authentic Pecorino Romano makes a noticeable difference in flavor and grating it yourself will make a huge difference in the texture.
- Red Chili Pepper: Fresh chili adds subtle heat that cuts through the richness of the sauce. Crushed red pepper flakes or Calabrian chili paste can also work if fresh chilies are unavailable.
- Bucatini or Spaghetti: Bucatini is the traditional pasta choice because its hollow center helps trap the sauce, but spaghetti works beautifully as well.
- White Wine: White wine deglazes the pan and helps lift all the flavorful browned bits left behind by the guanciale, adding depth and balance to the sauce.
How to Make this Recipe
Step 1: Crush the San Marzano tomatoes by hand in a bowl. Then cook the guanciale in a dry skillet until the fat renders and the meat becomes crisp.
Step 2: Deglaze the pan with white wine and reduce slightly.
Step 3: Add the chili pepper to the rendered fat, then stir in the tomatoes and simmer gently.
Step 4: Cook the pasta until al dente, then transfer it directly into the sauce along with the crispy guanciale.
Step 5: Stir in the Pecorino Romano until melted and creamy. Serve immediately with extra cheese and more strips of crispy guanciale on top.
Expert Tips
- Use freshly grated Pecorino Romano for the smoothest texture and best flavor.
- Save a little pasta water before draining in case the sauce needs loosening. Add a tablespoon at a time until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Cook the guanciale slowly enough to properly render the fat without burning it. Be patient!
- Avoid adding garlic or onion if you want the dish to stay traditional.
- Toss the cheese into the pasta off the heat to prevent clumping or separation.
- For restaurant-style presentation, twist the pasta into a ladle before plating to create a neat swirl shape.
Recipe FAQs
Guanciale is a cured Italian meat made from pork cheek or jowl. Compared to pancetta or bacon, guanciale has a richer texture and more delicate flavor because of its high fat content.
The rendered guanciale fat becomes the foundation of many traditional Roman pasta dishes, including Amatriciana and Carbonara. When shopping for guanciale, look for pieces with bright white fat and a balanced amount of lean meat throughout. Cut off any skin before cooking.
Guanciale is made from pork cheek, while pancetta comes from pork belly. Guanciale has a richer texture and more delicate flavor because of its higher fat content.
Traditional Roman Amatriciana focuses on a small number of ingredients, allowing the flavors of the guanciale, tomatoes, and Pecorino Romano to stand out clearly. You can always add your own garlic or onion to taste but for authenticity, follow the recipe as is!
The sauce can be made ahead, but the pasta is best tossed fresh with the sauce right before serving for the ideal texture.
Did you enjoy this recipe for bucatini all’amatriciana? If so, check out these other recipes I’ve selected just for you:
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Bucatini all’Amatriciana with Extra Crispy Guanciale
Ingredients
- 1 (28 oz) can San Marzano tomatoes
- 6 oz guanciale, skin removed and chopped into strips
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1 red chili pepper, seeds removed and minced
- ¾ lb bucatini or spaghetti
- ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Instructions
- Put 1 (28 oz) can San Marzano tomatoes in a bowl and crush them by hand. Place a pot of water on the stove to start boiling (we will use this to cook the pasta later).
- Put 6 oz guanciale in a dry, hot pan and sauté until the fat renders and the guanciale crisps up, about 7–8 minutes.
- Add ¼ cup white wine to the guanciale and allow it to simmer until it reduces to half. Use a slotted spoon to remove the guanciale and set aside.
- Add 1 red chili pepper to the fat still in the pan and saute for about 30 seconds.
- Then add the crushed tomatoes and reduce the heat to low for 10–12 minutes. Cook, stirring occasionally, and add salt as needed.
- While the sauce is heating, add the ¾ lb bucatini or spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions. When done, use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove the pasta from the pot, reserving some pasta water.
- Once the sauce has warmed, add about ¾ of the guanciale back to the sauce and stir to combine. Then add the cooked pasta to the sauce on the stove and stir to make sure the pasta is coated.
- Remove the pasta from the heat, then sprinkle with ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Toss the pasta in the pan until the cheese melts into the dish.
- Serve and top each plate with more Pecorino Romano and the remaining guanciale. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Guanciale: Guanciale is cured pork cheek and the traditional meat used in Amatriciana. It has a rich, silky fat that renders beautifully into the sauce while becoming crisp around the edges. While it looks like bacon, it is typically much fattier and less meaty. If guanciale is unavailable, pancetta is the next best substitute. Bacon can work in a pinch, but try to use unsmoked bacon so the smoky flavor does not overpower the dish.
- San Marzano Tomatoes: San Marzano tomatoes are naturally sweeter and less acidic than many canned tomatoes, making them ideal for simple sauces like Amatriciana where the tomato flavor really shines. Crushing them by hand creates a rustic texture that clings beautifully to the pasta.
- Pecorino Romano Cheese: Pecorino Romano adds a sharp, salty flavor that balances the richness of the guanciale. Since the dish uses very few ingredients, using authentic Pecorino Romano makes a noticeable difference in flavor and grating it yourself will make a huge difference in the texture.
- Red Chili Pepper: Fresh chili adds subtle heat that cuts through the richness of the sauce. Crushed red pepper flakes or Calabrian chili paste can also work if fresh chilies are unavailable.
- Bucatini or Spaghetti: Bucatini is the traditional pasta choice because its hollow center helps trap the sauce, but spaghetti works beautifully as well.
- Use freshly grated Pecorino Romano for the smoothest texture and best flavor.
- Save a little pasta water before draining in case the sauce needs loosening. Add a tablespoon at a time until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Cook the guanciale slowly enough to properly render the fat without burning it. Be patient!
- Avoid adding garlic or onion if you want the dish to stay traditional.
- Toss the cheese into the pasta off the heat to prevent clumping or separation.
- For restaurant-style presentation, twist the pasta into a ladle before plating to create a neat swirl shape.
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