Pasta Amatriciana

Pasta Amatriciana made with pancetta, tomatoes, Romano cheese, crushed peppers and onions. It will be a family favorite! 

Ryan and I have been fortunate enough to go to Italy twice in our lives. The trips were a dream. During those two trips we visited Rome, Venice, Florence, the Amalfi Coast, Milan, Lake Como and Siena. The country, the sights and the people were wonderful. The food and wine were fantastic. I still find myself thinking about some of the meals we had there. I consider the meal that I had at Il Buco Ristorante in Sorrento to be among one of the best meals I have ever had. Ever. 

Whether we were eating stuffed zucchini blossoms, linguine aglio olio or gelato, everything was unbelievably delicious. My favorite meals were always the ones that were simple. Meals that tasted like home cooking. Pasta Amatriciana is a perfect example of that.

What is pasta all’amatriciana?

Pasta all’amatriciana is a traditional Italian dish with guanciale, tomatoes and romano cheese. It is a typical Roman dish but originated from the town of Amatrice.

Let’s talk about everything you’ll need to make it:

Pasta Amatriciana ingredients:

• GUANCIALE: Guanciale is an Italian cured meat that is used in Italian recipes like this one and Spaghetti Carbonara. It can be difficult to find here in the US. If you cannot find it, pancetta is a great substitute Pancetta is basically Italian bacon, but unlike American bacon it is not smoked.  If you cannot find pancetta use thick cut unsmoked bacon.
• ONION/GARLIC: Garlic and onion are not always a traditional ingredients in amatriciana but I do love the flavor that they add.
• DICED TOMATOES: The base of the sauce. Using diced tomatoes will give the sauce a bit more texture than using tomato sauce.
• CRUSHED RED PEPPERS: These will add a bit of heat to the pasta. I start with 1/8 of a teaspoon so it’s not too much heat.
• SALT/PEPPER
• PECORINO ROMANO CHEESE: Is a hard cheese that is both sharp and salty. If you don’t have any on hand, you can use freshly grated Parmesan cheese instead.
• PASTA: You could use any kind of pasta that you like, I prefer to use Bucatini pasta. Bucatini pasta is a thick spaghetti like pasta with a hole in the middle. I like it because it’s thicker and has more of a bite to it. In recent years I have seen bucatini pasta available at my grocery store. If you cannot find it, you can substitute spaghetti or linguine.

Step by Step Photos and Instructions:

Pasta Amatriciana comes together in under 30 minutes. You’ll want to make the sauce while you cook the pasta. Everything should be done shortly after the pasta is done.

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STEP #1: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions.

STEP #2: Meanwhile, in a large pan cook guanciale until it starts to brown and render the fat.

STEP #3: Transfer the guanciale to paper-towel lined plate and set aside. Reserve the fat. Add onions, garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook just until onions start to soften, 3 – 5 minutes.

STEP #4: Add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes, the sauce will thicken a bit during this time.

STEP #5: Return the guanciale to the sauce and add in pasta. Toss to coat the pasta in the sauce. Sprinkle with pecorino Romano and toss once more. Serve immediately with more Romano and crushed red peppers, if desired.

I love to serve Pasta Amatriciana with my easy garlic bread and a salad with garlic vinaigrette dressing.

Storage and Leftovers:

This pasta reheats beautifully! Store leftovers in the refrigerator and eat within 3 days.

Recipe FAQ:

Looking for more pasta recipes? Here are some of my most popular:

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Lemon Caper Pasta is a must make for spring and summer!

Shrimp Linguine with Zucchini and Tomatoes is my absolute favorite pasta. I’m sure you’re going to love it too!

Note: Originally published in 2009. Updated in 2023 with new photos, nutrition information and a slightly modified recipe.