Bucatini all’ Amatriciana (Pasta all’amatriciana)
This classic Bucatini all’ Amatriciana recipe is the perfect weeknight dinner! With a homemade amatriciana sauce and bucatini pasta cooked perfectly al dente, it truly doesn’t get better than this! Bucatini all’amatriciana might sound intimidating, but I will break down this recipe step by step so that you can make it easily with a handful of ingredients. And, if this is your first time having bucatini amatriciana, you’re in for a treat! It’s one of the four traditional Roman pastas and it just might be my favorite!
Rome is famous for a myriad of reasons, but honestly? The pasta is number one for me! In Rome, four pasta dishes stand out for their delicious simplicity. Cacio e Pepe features a sauce made from Pecorino Romano and black pepper. Carbonara mixes guanciale, eggs, Pecorino, and pepper for a creamy sauce.
Gricia skips the eggs but keeps the guanciale and Pecorino. Amatriciana adds tangy tomato sauce to guanciale and Pecorino. These classics showcase Rome’s rich culinary history. The original recipe for amatriciana comes from the town of Amatrice, but it was later made popular in Rome. I hope that my recipe transports you straight to Italy!
Some other pasta recipes I suggest are my cherry tomato pasta sauce, pistachio pasta, creamy lobster pasta, peas and pancetta, tagliatelle al ragu, and shrimp orzo!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s a classic dish! Don’t get me wrong, I love a traditional recipe with a modern twist.. but the classics are the classics for a reason!
- One large skillet is all you need! This classic pasta dish comes together easily in one large pan with simple ingredients.
Ingredients
- Guanciale – Guanciale, cured pork cheek or pig jowl, is the soul of Bucatini all’Amatriciana. Its rich, fatty flavor provides the dish with its signature smoky depth. When cooking, render the fat from the diced guanciale slowly over medium heat to achieve crispiness while preserving its tenderness. For the best quality, look for slices that are thick-cut with a good balance of lean and fat. Dice or slice guanciale into thin strips before cooking to evenly distribute its amazing flavor throughout the dish.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Used to sauté the guanciale and create a flavorful base for the sauce, extra virgin olive oil adds a fruity, peppery flavor to all’Amatriciana.
- White Wine – A splash of dry white wine adds acidity to the amatriciana. Choose a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. The wine deglazes the pan after cooking the guanciale, lifting the flavorful browned bits from the bottom for a more complex sauce.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes – Canned diced tomatoes provide the base for the savory sauce in Bucatini all’Amatriciana. Opt for high-quality canned tomatoes with no added flavors or preservatives. San Marzano tomatoes are a popular choice for their sweetness and low acidity. Drain excess liquid from the can before adding to the pan with the guanciale and white wine. You could also use whole plum tomatoes that you can then dice yourself!
- Bucatini – Bucatini, a thick, hollow long pasta, is the perfect choice for amatriciana sauce. Its hollow center captures the sauce, so you get some with every bite. Cook the bucatini in generously salted boiling water until al dente, then transfer directly to the sauce using tongs or a pasta fork. Reserve some pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency if needed.
- Pecorino Romano Cheese – Pecorino Romano, a sharp and salty sheep’s milk cheese, adds a robust tanginess to the amatriciana sauce. Grate the cheese finely just before serving to preserve its freshness and maximize its flavor impact. Use a microplane or fine grater for a light, fluffy texture that melts smoothly into the hot pasta and sauce. Adjust the amount according to your taste preference.
- Salt and Pepper – Use kosher salt for seasoning the pasta water and sauce. Freshly ground black pepper adds a spicy kick that complements the richness of the guanciale and cheese.
Substitutions and Additions
- Pancetta for Guanciale – Substitute guanciale with pancetta if you can’t find guanciale at your local grocery store. Pancetta is cured pork belly and offers a similar salty, savory flavor.
- Grana Padano for Pecorino Romano – If Pecorino Romano is not available at your local supermarkets, substitute it with Grana Padano, another hard Italian cheese with a nuttier flavor profile. It melts really well and is a good substitute.
- Rigatoni for Bucatini – This sauce would be great with a short pasta shape, too! Try it with rigatoni, or stick to long pasta like thick spaghetti!
- Add Red Chili Flakes – For a hint of heat, add a pinch of got red pepper flakes to the Bucatini all’Amatriciana.
- Add Garlic – Sauté one or two cloves of minced garlic with the guanciale for added flavor.
- Add Tomato Paste – For a deeper tomato flavor, you could add tomato paste to the sauce.
Step by Step Instructions
Prepare the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the bucatini and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
Cook the Guanciale: In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil over medium heat. Add the guanciale strips and cook until crispy and golden, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the guanciale with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
Deglaze the Pan: Add the white wine to the skillet, stirring to deglaze the pan, and lift any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine simmer until it reduces by half, about 2-3 minutes.
Make the Sauce: Add the canned diced tomatoes to the skillet, stirring to combine with the reduced wine and guanciale fat. Season with salt and pepper. Let the sauce simmer for about 10-15 minutes, allowing it to thicken and the flavors to meld.
Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked bucatini to the skillet, tossing to coat the pasta with the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
Finish the Dish: Stir in the finely grated pecorino romano, mixing until the cheese is melted and the pasta is well-coated.
Add the crispy guanciale back to the skillet, tossing to combine.
Serve: Divide the Bucatini Amatriciana among plates. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and a sprinkle of extra pecorino romano if desired. Enjoy!
Tips and Notes
- Choosing Guanciale – Guanciale (a pork product) is key to authentic flavor. Its rich, smoky flavor sets this dish apart.
- Rendering Guanciale – Start with a cold pan to render the fat from the pork jowl slowly and achieve crispy guanciale. Stir occasionally to ensure even cooking and prevent sticking.
- Deglazing with White Wine – Use white wine to deglaze the pan after cooking the guanciale. This step not only adds depth but also helps lift the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Simmering the Sauce – Allow the tomato sauce to simmer gently for 10-15 minutes. This time allows the flavors of guanciale, wine, and tomatoes to meld together.
- Adjusting Sauce Consistency – If the sauce becomes too thick after combining with the pasta, use reserved pasta water to achieve the desired consistency. Add it gradually to prevent the sauce from becoming too watery.
Serving Suggestions
- Wine Pairing – For Bucatini all’Amatriciana, consider pairing with Chianti Classico, Barolo, or Brunello di Montalcino for their ability to complement the dish’s rich flavors with their respective medium-bodied acidity, robust tannins, or full-bodied complexity.
- Spritz – Try a hugo spritz, rosé aperol spritz, limoncello spritz, or a traditional aperol spritz! If you’re serving this for a crowd, make my aperol spritz pitcher!
- Foccacia Bread – Serve this pasta dish with fresh no-knead focaccia bread to sop up the extra sauce.
- Salad – Pair this delicious roman classic pasta dish with salads like burrata caprese, burrata arugula salad, or in summer, peach and burrata salad!
- Italian Appetizers – Start off your Italian dinner the right way with an array of small bites. Some of my favorites are prosciutto-wrapped melon, sausage crostini, burrata bruschetta, and pesto bruschetta. Oh, and this would be perfect with Sicilian arancini!
- End on a Sweet Note – Cake and espresso (martinis)! Try one of my Italian cakes like chocolate ricotta, ricotta strawberry, lemon ricotta, and lemon blueberry ricotta! While you’re at it, whip up some vanilla espresso martinis!
Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Storage – Store leftover Bucatini all’Amatriciana in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating – Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water or broth to maintain moisture and prevent sticking, until heated through.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to see it! Tag @seasonedandsalted on Instagram and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review below!
Bucatini all’ Amatriciana (Pasta all’amatriciana)
Equipment
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- Knife
- cutting board
- wooden spoon
- pot
- Pan or Skillet
Ingredients
- 5 ounces guanciale cut into strips
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup 3.5 oz white wine
- 1 ½ cups 11 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 12 ounces bucatini
- 3.5 ounces finely grated pecorino romano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
Boil the Pasta:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the bucatini and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
Cook the Guanciale:
- In a large skillet, add a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and the guanciale strips. Place the skillet over medium heat and cook the guanciale until crispy and golden, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the guanciale with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate lined with a paper towel. Leave the rendered fat in the skillet.
Deglaze the Pan:
- Add the white wine to the skillet with the rendered fat, stirring to deglaze the pan and lift any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine simmer until it reduces by half, about 2-3 minutes.
Make the Sauce:
- Add the canned diced tomatoes to the skillet, stirring to combine with the reduced wine and guanciale fat. Season with salt and pepper. Let the sauce simmer for about 10-15 minutes, allowing it to thicken and the flavors to meld.
Combine Pasta and Sauce:
- Add the cooked bucatini to the skillet, tossing to coat the pasta with the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
Finish the Dish:
- Stir in the finely grated pecorino romano, mixing until the cheese is melted and the pasta is well-coated. Add the crispy guanciale back to the skillet, tossing to combine.
- Divide the Bucatini Amatriciana among plates. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and a sprinkle of extra pecorino romano if desired. Enjoy!
We had this dish in Rome on our honeymoon and I wanted to find a recipe to make it for my husband. This was so easy and delicious! It was hard to find guanciale but it was so worth it.