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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Instructions
Purée sauce ingredients together in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Cook sauce in a saucepan at a lively simmer 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.
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.
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.
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.
Print📖 Recipe
Bucatini all'Amatriciana
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Pasta
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Bucatini all'Amatriciana is a beautiful pasta from central Italy featuring San Marzano tomatoes, guanciale, pecorino cheese, and thick bucatini pasta.
Ingredients
Sauce
20 ounces (567g) canned San Marzano tomatoes
1 small carrot, roughly chopped
½ red bell pepper, roughly chopped
½ green bell pepper, roughly chopped
½ small onion, roughly chopped
2 cups (473ml) water
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Pasta
1 pound (454g) bucatini
1 teaspoon olive oil
250 g guanciale (or pancetta) cut into lardons (small, cube-like strips) *
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon crushed chili flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped
Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
Purée sauce ingredients together in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Cook sauce in a saucepan at a lively simmer 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.
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.
Use tongs to lift a serving of bucatini 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.
Notes
* If you want to go more authentic, use guanciale (Italian cured pork cheek) instead. This will be a bit more difficult to find than pancetta (Italian cured pork belly bacon).
Please note that traditional Amatriciana sauce consists simply of guanciale, pecorino, tomatoes, and olive oil. However, this version with additional vegetables is nutritious and absolutely delicious.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 928
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 1297.7 mg
- Fat: 47.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 98.9 g
- Protein: 27.2 g
- Cholesterol: 48.6 mg
Keywords: bucatini all'amatriciana
Kurt says
Great pasta dish. Added to our regular rotation
Asha says
Thank you, that's awesome to hear!
Tracey says
Great recipe. Thanks for sharing
Asha says
Thanks, I'm happy to 🙂
Karen says
Amazing next level spaghetti dish!
Asha says
Thanks!
Megan Morrison says
Love it
Asha says
Thank you!
Fiona says
Not sure I can pronounce it but I love it.
Asha says
Haha one of those 'point at the menu' items. Thanks!
Pete says
Thanks for recipe. Some meals just make these rainy days more bearable.
Asha says
Thank you
Roselyn says
Never had this before. Amazing recipe. Family hit.
Asha says
That's great. Thanks for the review
Wanda says
Tasty and filling.
Asha says
Thanks!
Ivy says
Great flavour. Will be making many more times in the future.
Asha says
Thanks! I love this pasta too
Annette says
You were right. The kids loved it. I am never telling them what they ate.
Asha says
Good idea 😉 thanks!
nancy says
wow i really enjoyed this Bucatini all'Amatriciana recipe. thanks for introducing the origins of this dish. It was so tasty and everyone loved it
Asha says
Thank you Nancy, I'm so glad that everyone enjoyed it!
Bernice says
You just reminded me that I have a very precious can of San Marzanos in the pantry and a few garden carrots left. They would make one heck of a amatriciana, especially with this recipe.
Asha says
Thank you, I know you will put them to great use 😋
Marie-Pierre Breton says
What a simple and elegant dish! I'm all about Italian cuisine! Thanks for sharing!
Asha says
Thanks! Can't go wrong with an Italian pasta
Vanessa says
Such a fantastic way to get more veggies into my family! It is so delicious that they had no clue!
Asha says
Thank you. I've definitely used this sauce to sneak veggies to my picky nephew, too 😁
Kristen says
Now this is my kinda pasta, simple, hearty and delicious. We absolutely LOVED this recipe - even the kids devoured it.
Asha says
Thanks so much, that's awesome to hear
Terri Gilson says
This pasta sounds brilliant and I can't wait to try it!
Asha says
Thanks Terri! 🙂