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Home » Recipes » Meat Pasta Recipes

Published: Mar 19, 2022 · Modified: Mar 30, 2022 by Jacqui

Italian Carbonara with Asparagus.


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This Italian carbonara with asparagus is a delicious version of Rome’s most famous and favourite pasta recipe. It’s made the same way as authentic carbonara but the addition of fresh green asparagus adds a bright spring flavour and lots of nutrients.

Italian carbonara with asparagus

How is authentic carbonara made?

Unlike versions that are popular outside of Italy, spaghetti ‘alla carbonara’ is a simple dish with just a few ingredients. Personally, I think of carbonara as Italian bacon and eggs because all it contains, apart from pasta and seasoning, is eggs, cheese and bacon. Traditionally the ‘bacon’ is guanciale, but many people use pancetta instead.

Italian carbonara with asparagus

What’s the difference between guanciale and pancetta?

The word ‘guancia’ means cheek in Italian. So, guanciale is actually cured pork cheek (jowl). Pancetta, on the other hand, is more similar to bacon as it’s cured pork belly. But, pancetta is different to bacon in that bacon is cured and smoked, whereas pancetta is cured with salt and spices and hung to dry.

Despite what I have read on various non-Italian recipe sites, pancetta is fine to eat uncooked. In fact, Italians add it in thinly cut slices to sandwiches and charcuterie boards.

ingredients for spaghetti carbonara with asparagus on white plate
Step 1 Gather your ingredients.

Guanciale has a higher fat content than pancetta which actually makes it more flavourful when cooked. In fact, the fat melts and adds a rich depth of flavour to dishes. Guanciale is the star ingredient in pasta recipes such as authentic carbonara, amatriciana and alla gricia. I used guanciale for this Italian carbonara with asparagus, but pancetta works as a good substitute. Guanciale tends to be more expensive and harder to source.

cubed guanciale in white bowl, grated pecorino in white bowl, 2 opened eggs in white bowl and cleaned asparagus spears on white plate
Step 2 Prepare the ingredients

Different versions of carbonara in Italy.

In general, Italians have a reputation for being quite rigid when it comes to changing the ingredients in traditional dishes. However, when it comes to carbonara, new versions are becoming popular and trendy. Nowadays, people also make seafood carbonara like my tuna carbonara recipe (link below). Some of these recipes only call for seafood and others include guanciale or pancetta.

boiled asparagus cut into pieces on white cutting board
Step 3 par-boil the asparagus spears and stems separately then cut into small pieces

There are also carbonara recipes with veggies like this asparagus version. These too can be with just a vegetable or with guanciale or pancetta as well. What all Italian carbonara recipes have in common is the use of eggs and the pasta cooking water to create a creamy sauce.  One thing Italians don’t do is add cream!

Asparagus in Italy.

People in this part of the world have been eating asparagus since 3,000 B.C! The ancient Greeks, Egyptians and Romans, all loved them. In fact, the Romans even went so far as to freeze asparagus by transporting quantities into the Alps and preserving them there!

beaten eggs and grated pecorino and parmigiano in white bowl
Step 4 Beat the egg yolk and whole egg together. Then add the grated pecorino and/or parmigiano.

Needless to say, we don’t need to freeze asparagus in the mountains anymore. We have fridges, freezers and other ways of storing them. However, Italians mostly eat asparagus when they are in season.

Italy cultivates the largest number of green asparagus in Europe. Plus, it’s the third largest producer of white asparagus. Both white and green are used in local recipes. This Italian carbonara with asparagus recipe is best with fresh or wild green asparagus.

cubes of guanciale in skillet with olive oil
Step 5 Sauté the guanciale in a little olive oil until the fat melts and the guanciale begins to brown.

Here in Veneto, where I live, asparagus are a star ingredient in spring dishes. Given that this region grows the most asparagus in Italy, I guess that’s not surprising. We can buy asparagus from roadside stalls when in season and all grocers and supermarkets sell them.

The most popular ways to serve asparagus are in soups, risottos or with pasta. This Italian carbonara with asparagus is just one example of how well this nutritious low-calorie spring veg goes with pasta.

pieces of asparagus in skillet with cooked guanciale
Step 6 Add the garlic cloves and then the asparagus pieces to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes

How to prep this Italian carbonara with asparagus.

This Italian carbonara with asparagus is made exactly the same way as normal carbonara, the difference being the addition of some garlic and fresh asparagus. The latter need to be parboiled first. Because asparagus tend to be tougher at the bottom end of the stem, I broke them in half and then parboiled the stems for longer than the spears. That way neither were too hard or soft! I kept the water to cook the pasta in.

spaghetti made by Di Martino on wooden board
Spagahtti Di Martino. Love the packaging designed by Dolce e Gabbana!

After parboiling the asparagus, you need to cut the stalks and the spears into small pieces. The guanciale will need to be cut into cubes if it’s one large piece like mine was. The same goes for pancetta if you are using it instead. Finally, the garlic has to be peeled.

The only other prep step is to separate one yolk and then beat the whole egg and the yolk with the grated pecorino and/or parmigiano.

Cooked spaghetti in skillet with asparagus and guanciale.
Step 7 Cook the pasta al dente, drain and add to the asparagus and guanciale

How to make and serve asparagus carbonara.

Carbonara is best made and served immediately. So, while the water is boiling for the pasta, sauté the garlic cloves and guanciale in a little olive oil. Guanciale renders its own fat, so you need less oil than with pancetta. Once the guanciale is starting to brown, add the asparagus pieces and sauté them for about 2-3 minutes. Then remove the garlic and add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the spaghetti al dente and just before draining save some of the pasta cooking water. Add the drained spaghetti to the asparagus, mix well then add a little pasta cooking water. Mix everything together carefully for about a minute over a medium heat and then remove from the heat.

beaten eggs and grated cheese added to spaghetti, asparagus and guanciale in skillet
Step 8 Mix the pasta, asparagus and guanciale together with a little pasta cooking water. Remove from the heat and add eggs and cheese.

Finally add the egg and cheese and mix and stir until the sauce becomes creamy. It’s better to do this off the heat so the eggs won’t scramble. But, the pasta will be hot enough to cook the eggs, so don’t worry, you won’t be eating raw egg!

Plate your Italian carbonara with asparagus immediately and serve with more grated cheese and some freshly grated black pepper.

ready Italian carbonara with asparagus in skillet
Step 9 Mix the eggs and cheese into the pasta until you have a creamy sauce. Serve immediately with more grated cheese and black pepper.

Substitutions for asparagus.

When asparagus aren’t in season or if you don’t like them, you can make this recipe with zucchini, peas or even pre-roasted sweet peppers. Zucchini don’t need to be par-boiled nor do frozen peas. Fresh peas have to be cooked in advance and zucchini work best if you fry slices before adding the guanciale.

Substitutions for guanciale.

As I mentioned above, you can use pancetta instead of guanciale or even fatty bacon. I’ve also seen this recipe made with sausage meat or no meat at all.

Italian carbonara with asparagus

The pasta for Italian carbonara with asparagus.

Italian carbonara is most often made with spaghetti. I used spaghetti from a company called Di Martino, one of a number of pasta makers from the town of Gragnano near Naples. Gragnano is famous for dried pasta. In fact, it’s been a center for pasta making for more than 500 years. I visited the town a couple of years ago at the invitation of a subsidiary company of Di Martino called Pastificio dei Campi. If you want to learn more about Gragnano and the pasta they make there, you can check out the post about my visit.

Needless to say, you can use other types of pasta with asparagus carbonara. Italians often make carbonara with pasta tubes like rigatoni, paccheri and mezze maniche. Whichever pasta you choose, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this recipe as much as we did.

Let me know what you think.

If you make this Italian carbonara with asparagus, I’d love to hear how it turns out. Please write a comment here on the blog, email me or post a comment on the Pasta Project Facebook page.

Your feedback is really appreciated!

Buon Appetito!

Italian carbonara with asparagus

Italian carbonara with asparagus

Jacqui
This Italian carbonara with asparagus is made the same way as authentic carbonara but the addition of fresh green asparagus adds a fresh spring flavour and lots of nutrients.
5 from 12 votes
Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
Prep Time 25 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean
Servings 4
Calories 791 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 320 g spaghetti (12 oz) or other pasta of your choice
  • 200 g guanciale (7oz) or pancetta
  • 300 g green asparagus (12oz) preferably fresh
  • 30 g Pecorino Romano (1oz) grated or just parmigiano
  • 30 g Parmigiano Reggiano (1oz) grated
  • 2 eggs (large) 1 separated 1 whole
  • 1-2 garlic cloves peeled
  • 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.
  • salt for pasta and asparagus and to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper. to taste

Instructions
 

Prepare the ingredients

  • Wash the asparagus and break off the stems. If you bend asparagus, they will break in the right place naturally.  Cut off the very hard end of the stemss. Par-boilthe spears in salted water for just a minute. Remove from the water and then par-boil the stems for 2-3 minutes. Keep the water to cook the pasta in and cut the asparagus (spears and stalks) into small pieces.
  • Cut the guanciale or pancetta into cubes if necessary. Peel the garlic cloves. Beat the egg yolk and whole egg together and then add grated pecorino and/or parmigiano, salt and pepper. Beat again to incorporate cheese and eggs.

Cook and serve the asparagus carbonara

  • Sauté the guanciale or pancetta in a little olive oil. Guanciale requires less oil as the fat in it melts. Add the garlic cloves and sauté for a minute. Add the asparagus pieces and cook them with the guanciale and garlic for two to three minutes.
  • Re-boil the water used for the asparagus and then cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet. When the pasta is ready, save a cup of cooking water and drain. Add the hot pasta to the asparagus, mix well and then add a little pasta cooking water.
  • Mix again over a medium heat, then remove the pan from the heat and add the eggs and cheese. Stir and mix continuously until the pasta is covered in a creamy sauce.If necessary, add a little more pasta cooking water.
  • Serve immediately with more grated cheese and freshly ground black pepper.

Nutrition

Calories: 791kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 25gFat: 48gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 148mgSodium: 676mgPotassium: 377mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 776IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 217mgIron: 3mg
Keyword asparagus carbonara, asparagus pasta, authentic Italian pasta recipe, carbonara, guanciale
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Other carbonara recipes on The Pasta Project.

  1. Authentic Italian carbonara
  2. Tuna carbonara
  3. Spaghetti with smoked trout carbonara

More pasta with guanciale recipes.

  1. Pasta alla gricia
  2. All’amatriciana
  3. Pasta with Romagna shallots and guanciale

Additional pasta with asparagus recipes.

  1. Asparagus pasta with walnuts
  2. Northern Italian creamy pasta with asparagus
  3. Poached salmon and asparagus lasagna
  4. Shrimp and asparagus farfalle
  5. Tuscan pici all’etrusca with asparagus

CHECK OUT MY SHOP PAGE.

If you are interested in learning how to make homemade pasta and different types of gnocchi, check out my shop page for some great video online courses from my friends in Rome! Nothing beats learning to make pasta from Italians! Plus while you’re there why not order a copy of one of my pasta recipe cookbooks or checkout some recommended pasta making tools? All great prezzies for pasta lovers!


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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Julie farmer says

    April 01, 2023 at 2:46 am

    This was a quick and delicious recipe. The aparagus really elevated the flavors. I had to use all parmigian cheese as thats all I had
    so will go for the combination next time. I will make this again Thank you!

    Reply
  2. Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

    March 28, 2022 at 4:54 am

    I am in love with authentic pasta recipes and we all love asparagus! The pasta was so flavorful and I can’t wait to make this again with our homegrown asparagus soon.

    Reply
  3. Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer says

    March 28, 2022 at 3:09 am

    Such a delicious and easy recipe! Perfect for summer or those warmer Spring nights.

    Reply
  4. Tammy says

    March 27, 2022 at 9:57 pm

    Your pasta dishes never fail to make me hungry and inspire me to get into the kitchen when I don’t necessarily feel like cooking! Carbonara is so good and this is delicious recipe with the asparagus. It’s easy too for a lazy Sunday. Delish!

    Reply
  5. Kayla DiMaggio says

    March 27, 2022 at 2:37 pm

    This carbonara was so easy and full of delicious flavor!

    Reply
  6. Nicoletta De Angelis says

    March 27, 2022 at 8:44 am

    A delicious seasonal variation on Carbonara. Yes, here in Rome, some additions are trendy and accepted, the important thing is to maintain the traditional egg/guanciale/Pecorino “trinity”.

    Reply
  7. Liz says

    March 25, 2022 at 4:44 pm

    I am making this recipe tonight! It sounds and looks so delicious! I am so excited to give it a try! Thanks for the share!

    Reply
  8. Debbie says

    March 25, 2022 at 3:41 am

    I just adore your recipes , I feel like I have been transported to Italy. I have some pork jowl in the freezer that I want to try this Italian Carbonara with Asparagus with, I know it will be delicious . Thanks for such a great recipe as usual .

    Reply
  9. Deborah says

    March 23, 2022 at 5:33 pm

    I love the combination of pasta and asparagus. I have never tried a carbonara dish, so I am eager to give it a go. Will be using thick sliced bacon, however, as the other options are hard to find in my area.

    Reply
  10. Marta says

    March 23, 2022 at 4:37 pm

    Another hit recipe from you! I love learning about true Italian pasta from you. This carbonara reminded me so much of my trip to Italy. Here in the States, it’s not usually served with asparagus, so I found that to be quite the treat.

    Reply
  11. Amanda says

    March 23, 2022 at 2:35 am

    This was absolutely delish! I used pancetta and it tasted amazing. Whole family loved it! This will be a repeat recipe in my house, for sure!

    Reply
  12. Amanda says

    March 22, 2022 at 7:16 pm

    I love a creamy carbonara, and the asparagus addition makes this so perfect for spring. This will be delicious for the season!

    Reply

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Buon giorno and welcome to my pasta project! My name is Jacqui. I’m originally a Londoner but in 2003 life’s journey brought me to the beautiful Veneto region of Italy where…

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