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Bucatini all'Amatriciana

Name: Bucatini all'Amatriciana
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 20 ounces (567g) canned San Marzano tomatoes; 1 small carrot, roughly chopped; 1/2 red bell pepper, roughly chopped; 1/2 green bell pepper, roughly chopped; 1/2 small onion, roughly chopped; 2 cups (473ml) water; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 pound (454g) spaghetti; 1 teaspoon olive oil; 250 g guanciale (or pancetta) cut into lardons (small, cube-like strips) *; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1/2 teaspoon crushed chili flakes; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 3 tablespoons flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped; Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated

Nov 28, 2022 by Asha · This post may contain affiliate links · 32 Comments

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Bucatini all'Amatriciana is a beautiful pasta from central Italy featuring a light tomato sauce with guanciale, pecorino cheese, and thick bucatini pasta. This version of this pasta finds a sneaky way to hide nutritious, fresh vegetables seamlessly in the delicious sauce.

Bucatini all'Amatriciana topped with pecorino cheese on a white plate.

Traditionally, Amatriciana sauce (sugo all'Amatriciana in Italian) is a very simple sauce made from guanciale, pecorino cheese, and tomato. It originated in the small town of Amatrice and quickly spread in popularity within Rome, its neighbour about an hour to the southwest.

This version of bucatini all'Amatriciana is closely based on the recipe used by Campagnolo, an Italian restaurant hot spot in Toronto that served fantastic Italian dishes for a decade. Unfortunately, the restaurant is no more, but they were kind enough to share their recipe online.

A close up image of bucatini all'Amatriciana.

Their Amatriciana had nutritious vegetables blended into the tomato sauce. It's actually a genius way to sneak vegetables into kids. They won't have a clue. In my take I use the same ingredients. However, I have scaled it down in size and made it slightly healthier (i.e. less salt and oil).

Check out my creamy bay scallop pasta for another delicious pasta dish.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions
Storage
Tip for success
📖 Recipe

Ingredients

Note: Traditional Amatriciana sauce consists simply of guanciale, pecorino, tomatoes, and olive oil. However, this version with additional vegetables is nutritious and absolutely delicious.

Bucatini - The traditional pasta pairing for Amatriciana sauce. This pasta is made from durum wheat flour and is similar to spaghetti, but thicker and tubular with a hollow centre. The Italian word 'buco' literally translates to 'hole.'
Guanciale - This is the Italian cured pork cheek that is traditionally used in this dish. It has a strong pork flavour that adds great depth to your sauce. If you are unable to find it, you can substitute with a good quality pancetta (salt-cured bacon made of pork belly).
Pecorino Romano cheese - Pecorino is a hard and salty sheep's cheese that is ideal for grating. It has a salty and tangy flavour. 'Pecorino' simply translates to 'of sheep.' Pecorino Romano refers to sheep cheese from Rome. The people of Amatrice, Italy, use their locally produced pecorino cheese.
Canned San Marzano tomatoes - This type of tomato has less seeds than usual, making them perfect for sauces. They also have a sweeter and less acidic flavour.
Vegetables - Onion, garlic, carrot, green bell pepper, and red bell pepper. While these are not traditionally part of this kind of sauce, I love the boost of nutrition and flavour.
Water
Olive oil
Salt
Crushed chili flakes
Flat-leaf Italian parsley

See the recipe card below for quantities.

Instructions

Sauce ingredients liquified in a blender.

Purée sauce ingredients together in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Cook sauce in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to thicken, about 30 minutes. You don't want it to be too thick.

Cut the guanciale into lardons (small, cube-like strips). Crisp in a large pan over low heat until the fat is rendered out. Stir in the garlic and chili flakes and cook for another minute.

Add the sauce into the pan with the guanciale and simmer while cooking the pasta. Taste test and add more salt if desired (keeping in mind that pecorino cheese is salty in itself).

Cook the bucatini in salted water according to package directions.

Bucatini tossed with olive oil and Italian parsley.

Drain it and return it to the pasta pot. Then toss it with olive oil and parsley.

Add enough of the sauce into the pasta pot to thoroughly coat the pasta.

Grated pecorino cheese topping a plate of pasta.

Use tongs to lift a serving of bucatini all'Amatriciana out of the pot, then use a twirling motion while setting it down onto a plate to achieve a tall nest shape. Top it with a generous amount of pecorino cheese, more parsley, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Overhead image of a nest of bucatini all'Amatriciana.

Substitutions

Canned San Marzano tomatoes - Substitute with regular whole, canned tomatoes. Fresh San Marzano or Roma tomatoes could also be used, if peeled first, crushed in a food processor, and juice is retained.

Guanciale - Substitute with a good quality pancetta (Italian cured pork belly bacon), which is typically easier to find.

Pecorino Romano - Substitute with aged parmesan. Though parmesan is less salty and tangy, you should substitute it 1:1.

Bucatini - Substitute with spaghetti.

Storage

Leftover bucatini all'Amatriciana can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Tip for success

Try to get your hands on guanciale if you can. Although this is not the most classic rendition of this sauce, the guanciale really adds to the authentic bucatini all'Amatriciana flavour.

📖 Recipe