Pasta Alla Gricia
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This savory 4-ingredient classic Italian Pasta Alla Gricia recipe is full of so much delicious flavor as perfectly rendered guanciale and Pecorini Romano cheese come together to make a sauce with freshly ground black pepper. It’s a 20-minute meal that is simplicity at its best and a perfect example of why Italian cuisine is known for taking simple ingredients and turning them into iconic dishes that are easy to make and layered in so much flavor.
What Is Pasta Alla Gricia
This classic Italian dish is basically almost like an egg-free Creamy Carbonara or Bucatini all’Amatriciana without the tomato and wine. Yet, unlike carbonara and all’amatriciana, whose recipes typically call for pancetta, pasta alla gricia is made with guanciale. Guanciale is a type of Italian cured meat made from pork jowls or cheeks.
It’s an authentic ancient Roman dish that dates back to around 400 AD and is based on very simple, but high-quality ingredients. For example, pasta alla gricia recipes almost always call for dry pasta and use Pecorini Romano cheese over Parmesan for a more authentic Roman flavor. Black pepper also plays a key role in seasoning this simple dish as it both compliments and helps to balance the saltness of the guanciale and the Romano cheese with a bit of spice.
It’s one of those delicious pasta dishes that is not only comforting and filling, but super easy to make too. Pasta alla gricia pairs well with Caesar Salad or Balsamic Parmesan Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes to make a complete meal. And for an ultimate authentic Italian experience, end the meal with some Tiramisu or a Strawberry Tiramisu Trifle and your friends and family will be raving for weeks on end!
Pasta Alla Gricia Recipe Highlights!
- Simple Classic Italian Deliciousness! Perfectly cooked rigatoni is tossed in a simple sauce made from savory guanciale and salty Pecorino Romano cheese! Pasta alla gricia is bursting with amazing authentic Italian flavors that will have you craving more with each yummy bite!
- Quick and Easy! The simple one-pan recipe only takes about 20 minutes to make with almost no cleanup! It does not get much easier than that! It’s a fantastic quick and easy weeknight meal.
- 4-Ingredient Dish! You only need 4 simple ingredients to make this recipe! Dry pasta, cured pork jowl, hard Italian cheese, and black pepper. And if needed you can use a substitution for all of them, which makes this versatile recipe ideal.
- Rigatoni – You usually use rigatoni in this recipe, but you can also use any small shaped dry pasta you like.
- Guanciale – If you are unable to find guanciale you can use pancetta instead. Yet, for the most classic pasta alla gricia you’ll want to use guanciale if you can.
- Black Pepper – Use freshly ground black pepper for the most authentic dish.
- Pecorino Romano Cheese – Finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese is the ideal choice. But if you are in a pinch you can use Parmesan in its place.
- Render the guanciale. Add the guanciale (or pancetta) to a large skillet and cook it over medium heat for about 10 minutes until it becomes crispy and golden in color. You really want to be patient when doing this and allow the guanciale to fully render in its fat for the most flavor. Then once it’s nice and crispy, transfer the guanciale to a plate, but leave the fat in the skillet. You’ll need about 2 tablespoons of fat, if it’s too much, scoop some out.
- Boil the pasta. While the guanciale is rendering in the skillet, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Then add the rigatoni and cook till it’s al dente, which is typically about a minute less than the package directions suggest. When the rigatoni is done cooking, reserve 2 cups of the starchy pasta cooking water, and then drain the pasta.
- Start the sauce. Add the freshly ground black pepper to the rendered guanciale fat in the skillet and cook for about a minute. Then add just 1 cup of the reserved pasta water, turn the heat on to high, and bring the mixture to a boil continuing to cook until it reduces by about a half.
- Add the pasta. Add the cooked rigatoni to the skillet. Then toss the pasta together with the rendered fat and pasta water mixture with a wooden spoon adding more of the reserved pasta water if necessary. The rigatoni should be thoroughly coated in the sauce and not dry.
- Add half of the cheese. Stir half of the finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese into the pasta until it’s fully incorporated into the sauce. You want the sauce to be both creamy and look glossy.
- Add the guanciale. Add the crispy guanciale into the pasta and toss to combine.
- Finish with cheese and serve. Garnish with the remaining Pecorino cheese and more freshly ground black pepper. Then serve hot and enjoy!
What Is Cooking Pasta To Al Dente?
Pasta is best when cooked “al dente” when it’s tender but still firm to the bite. To do this, I always suggest checking the doneness of the pasta about 2 minutes before the package directions indicate. And it typically means cooking the pasta for about one minute less than the package suggests.
Can I Make Gluten-Free Pasta Alla Gricia?
Yes! Just use your favorite brand of gluten-free rigatoni or other small shaped gluten-free pasta.
Can I Use Other Types Of Cheese?
Yes! Ideally, you do want to use Pecorino Romano for this recipe, but if you don’t have it on hand, Parmesan will work as well.
Can I Use Other Types Of Cured Meat?
Yes! If you are unable to find guanciale, you can use pancetta in its place. And if you can’t find either of those two options, thick-cut bacon will work too. That being said, guanciale will always provide the most authentic pasta alla gricia.
Can I Make This Pasta Dish Ahead Of Time?
No, sadly this pasta is best eaten right after it’s made. Yes, leftovers the next day are fantastic, but it’s not really a make-ahead meal. However, the good news is that it’s so easy to make that you can have it ready from start to finish in just about 20 minutes!
Expert Tips
- Salt the water generously. Do not be afraid to salt your pasta water well. I’m talking like a full rounded tablespoon. Dry noodles don’t have much flavor and salting the water really well helps to season them as they cook.
- Reserve cooking water. Make sure to reserve the 2 cups of pasta cooking water. The starch in the pasta water works to thicken the sauce and also adds salty savory goodness too along with the guanciale and hard Italian cheese.
- Quality ingredients matter. It’s important to use higher quality products for the most developed flavor in simple Italian recipes with very few ingredients. So using a nice Pecorino and guanciale will make a difference in the outcome of the dish.
- Grated cheese works best. Freshly finely grated Romano cheese melts the best when tossed into the pasta sauce.
- Do not add salt to the sauce. You do not need to add any additional salt to this recipe. Between the salted pasta water, cured meat, and cheese your pasta alla gricia will be well seasoned.
How To Store Leftovers
You can store leftover pasta alla gricia in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To reheat, just add a little water or milk to loosen the pasta up, then cover, and put the pasta in the microwave for about 4 minutes on medium power or heat in a saucepan on the stove.
Other Delicious Italian Pasta Recipes To Try
- Cacio e Pepe
- Aglio e Olio
- Spaghetti Bolognese
- Rotini Fiorentina
- Pasta alla Norma
- Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Manicotti (Cannelloni)
- Easy Pasta Alfredo
- Pasta Puttanesca
- Pasta Pomodoro
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Pasta Alla Gricia
Video
Ingredients
- 12 ounces rigatoni (or other small shaped dry pasta)
- 8 ounces guanciale (cut into ¼-inch pieces)
- 2 teaspoons black pepper (freshly ground)
- 6 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese (finely grated)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Render the guanciale. Add the guanciale (or pancetta) to a large skillet and cook it over medium heat for about 10 minutes until it becomes crispy and golden in color. You really want to be patient when doing this and allow the guanciale to fully render in its fat for the most flavor. Then once it’s nice and crispy, transfer the guanciale to a plate, but leave the fat in the skillet. You'll need about 2 tablespoons of fat, if it's too much, scoop some out.
- Boil the pasta. While the guanciale is rendering in the skillet, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Then add the rigatoni and cook till it’s al dente, which is typically about a minute less than the package directions suggest. When the rigatoni is done cooking, reserve 2 cups of the starchy pasta cooking water, and then drain the pasta.
- Start the sauce. Add the freshly ground black pepper to the rendered guanciale fat in the skillet and cook for about a minute. Then add just 1 cup of the reserved pasta water, turn the heat on to high, and bring the mixture to a boil continuing to cook until it reduces by about a half.
- Add the pasta. Add the cooked rigatoni to the skillet. Then toss the pasta together with the rendered fat and pasta water mixture with a wooden spoon adding more of the reserved pasta water if necessary. The rigatoni should be thoroughly coated in the sauce and not dry.
- Add half of the cheese. Stir half of the finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese into the pasta until it’s fully incorporated into the sauce. You want the sauce to be both creamy and look glossy.
- Add the guanciale. Add the crispy guanciale into the pasta and toss to combine.
- Finish with cheese and serve. Garnish with the remaining Pecorino cheese and more freshly ground black pepper. Then serve hot and enjoy!
Equipment
Notes
- Salt the water generously. Do not be afraid to salt your pasta water well. I’m talking like a full rounded tablespoon. Dry noodles don’t have much flavor and salting the water really well helps to season them as they cook.
- Reserve cooking water. Make sure to reserve the 2 cups of pasta cooking water. The starch in the pasta water works to thicken the sauce and also adds salty savory goodness too along with the guanciale and hard Italian cheese.
- Quality ingredients matter. It’s important to use higher quality products for the most developed flavor in simple Italian recipes with very few ingredients. So using a nice Pecorino and guanciale will make a difference in the outcome of the dish.
- Grated cheese works best. Freshly finely grated Romano cheese melts the best when tossed into the pasta sauce.
- Do not add salt to the sauce. You do not need to add any additional salt to this recipe. Between the salted pasta water, cured meat, and cheese your pasta alla gricia will be well seasoned.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
