Recipes Main Dishes Pasta Spaghetti Spaghetti alla Gricia 4.6 (10) 8 Reviews 3 Photos One of the 4 quintessential 'primi' from the Lazio region in Italy, this pasta is beautiful in its simplicity with soft guanciale and tangy Pecorino cheese. No onion, no garlic, no oil - this flavorful dish gets its character from slowly sauteeing the guanciale and then creating a creamy sauce with the pasta water and a bit of Pecorino Romano before tossing with thick spaghetti. With only 4 ingredients, this is also a quick meal when you're in a rush. Submitted by Buckwheat Queen Updated on November 25, 2024 Save Rate Print Share Close Add Photo 3 Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Total Time: 25 mins Servings: 4 Yield: 4 servings Jump to Nutrition Facts Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1x 2x 4x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings 1 pound thick spaghetti 8 ounces guanciale (smoked pork jowl), thinly sliced black pepper to taste 3 ounces finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided Directions Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally. While pasta cooks, immediately heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add guanciale and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add 1 ladle of pasta cooking water, stir, and cover pan. As pasta cooks, add another ladle of cooking water to the pan with the guanciale to create a sauce. At about 10 minutes of pasta cooking time, reserve a cup of cooking water and drain pasta. Add spaghetti to the pan with the guanciale; toss, adding reserved cooking water if necessary. Turn off heat. Add 1/3 the Pecorino Romano cheese to the pasta and toss until creamy. Divide pasta between 4 plates. Top each with remaining Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper. Serve immediately. Cook's Note: If you cannot find guanciale, you can use pancetta instead. I Made It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 875 Calories 47g Fat 86g Carbs 25g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 4 Calories 875 % Daily Value * Total Fat 47g 60% Saturated Fat 18g 92% Cholesterol 73mg 24% Sodium 276mg 12% Total Carbohydrate 86g 31% Dietary Fiber 4g 13% Total Sugars 3g Protein 25g 50% Vitamin C 0mg 0% Calcium 253mg 19% Iron 4mg 23% Potassium 359mg 8% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.