Main dishes

Amatriciana

12 minutes Cook
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Amatriciana

If you’re looking for a pasta dish that packs a serious punch without keeping you in the kitchen for hours, meet your new best friend. Amatriciana is all about bold, savory contrasts: guanciale (render pork meat) and a rich tomato sauce with Pecorino Romano cheese. It’s fast enough for a busy weeknight, but tastes like it’s been simmering all day. In this plant-based version, we have used vegetable butter in place of lard, vegan smoked bacon slices, and the original Pecorino Romano cheese.

Spaghetti sizes

In this recipe, I used spaghettoni. You might have noticed that many Italian pasta packages show a number under the name of the pasta. When it comes to spaghetti, that is the diameter of the strand. Hence, spaghetti with 1-2 mm diameter are called spaghettini (little spaghetti); standard spaghetti have a diameter of 3 mm; while larger spaghetti have a diameter of more than 3 mm and go by the name of spaghettoni.

Does it matter? To an Italian it certainly does. The diameter of the strand will affect cooking times and the ratio of pasta and sauce. Some traditional recipes call for a particular diameter; others don’t. Amatriciana is surely one of those dishes that call for a thicker diameter.

Curiosities about Amatriciana

Amatriciana is a dish derived from Pasta alla Gricia: the difference between the two is that Amatriciana adds tomatoes to the sauce. Also, Amatriciana doesn’t use any spices or salt.

Enough with the technicalities: grab your fork and let’s get cooking!

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Pasta all'Amatriciana

Pasta all'Amatriciana

corinthian
Straight from the Lazio region of Italy, Pasta all'Amatriciana is a timeless classic that's considered a masterpiece of Italian cuisine. Born in the town of Amatrice, this historic dish centers around the rich, savory depth of guanciale (cured pork cheek), the tang of peeled tomatoes, and the sharp kick of Pecorino Romano cheese. It’s a rustic, comforting meal that brings the authentic flavors of a Roman trattoria right to your kitchen.
prep time
2 min
cooking time
12 minutes
servings
2
total time
14 minutes

Equipment

  • Pasta pot

  • Large skillet

  • Knife

  • Chopping board

  • Wooden spoon

Ingredients

  • 160 g spaghettoni (spaghetti n. 5)

  • 1 pinch of rock salt

  • 2 tablespoon vegetable butter

  • 1 can tomatoes (or 4 ripe tomatoes)

  • 6 slices vegan smoked bacon

  • 4 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Instructions

1

Cook the pasta

Bring 4 l of water to the boil in a pasta pot. When the water starts to bubble, add the rock salt and the spaghetti. Don't break the spaghetti: as they soften, they'll get submerged in the water. If they stick to the sides of the pot, gently stir them until they get under water. Cook according to the instructions on the package (~10-12 minutes).
2

Prepare the sauce

Melt the butter in the skillet over low heat. Slice the vegan bacon into strips and add them to the butter. Continue to cook for a few minutes over low heat, until the bacon starts to sizzle. Then, add the canned tomatoes. Gently crush them with the help of the spoon and keep cooking over low heat until the pasta is cooked al dente.
3

Compose the dish and serve

When the pasta is cooked, drain from the water and transfer it to the skillet with the sauce. Add the grated cheese, and gently fold the pasta into the sauce until it's well coated and the cheese has completely melted. Take off the heat and serve hot. If desired, add an extra-dusting of Pecorino cheese on top directly in the plate. Buon appetito!

Notes

If you stick to the original recipe, substitute vegetable butter with lard, and vegan bacon with Guanciale (curated pork cheek). Don't use olive oil in place of butter as it will alter the final result.
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