IS POST IS SPONSORED BY
DeLallo, my go-to for all pasta dinner essentials, with whom I am thrilled to partner throughout 2024. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Bucatini all’Amatriciana: My Restaurant-Approved Tips for Perfecting This Roman Classic at Home!
Pasta is my all-time favorite food—a love affair that started when I worked at a fine-dining Italian restaurant after college. After a long shift, my go-to meal was pasta Amatriciana: cheap, quick to whip up, so incredibly satisfying.
Eventually, I asked our chefs for some secrets to make my homemade version even better. Armed with their expert advice, I finally perfected my spicy Bucatini all’Amatriciana recipe with bold, restaurant-quality flavor that is easy to recreate at home.
This is one of my all-time favorite pastas, and I’m so excited to share it with you!
Quick Recipe Background: What is Amatriciana?
Amatriciana (pronounced “ah-mah-tree-chi-ah-nah”) is one of the four classic Roman pasta dishes, alongside cacio e pepe, gricia, and carbonara. Of them all, Amatriciana is the easiest to master—no fussing over cheese emulsions or scrambled eggs!
Instead, Amatriciana sauce is a simple mix of tomatoes, pork fat, and chili flakes. Just bring it to a simmer and toss with bucatini, a chewy, hollow pasta that captures every last drop of the bold and spicy flavor.
It’s the kind of unicorn 25-minute dinner that hits the spot on even the laziest weeknights, but it’s just as perfect for a cozy date night or when you’re hosting friends. Trust me—you’re going to love every twirl! 🍝
🍝 Love Classic Italian Pastas? ⇢ Try my 20-Minute Pasta Carbonara, Best-Ever Pasta Bolognese, and Slowly Simmered Short Rib Ragu next. Packed with flavor, these restaurant-inspired recipes come with plenty of expert tips for perfecting them at home! 👩🏻🍳
Traditional Pasta Amatriciana Ingredients (Plus, Easy Substitutions and Add-Ins)
Like most classic Italian dishes, Amatriciana sauce is made with just a handful of simple ingredients. It’s zippy, spicy, and rich, thanks to Roman staples like guanciale, red chili flakes, and pecorino romano cheese.
In a perfect world, we’d all have access to these authentic Italian ingredients, but here in the States, they’re not always easy to find. I often make do with a few simple swaps noted below. Here’s what you need to get started:
- Pork – Guanciale (cured pork jowl) infuses Amatriciana sauce with its signature lusciousness. Simple swap! ⇢ Finding good-quality guanciale can be tricky in the U.S., so I often use pancetta (cured pork belly) for similar rich flavor.
- Aromatics – Crushed red pepper flakes give spicy Amatriciana sauce its kick of heat. PWWB add-ins! ⇢ While not traditional, I add garlic and white wine for depth and balanced brightness.
- Tomatoes – I like to use passata, an uncooked Italian tomato purée made from crushed plum tomatoes. It’s a great shortcut—no food mill required! Simple swap! ⇢ Pulse canned whole tomatoes in a food processor for a quick DIY substitute.
- Cheese – Tangy Pecorino Romano, a bold sheep’s milk cheese, balances the richness of Amatriciana sauce beautifully. Simple swap! ⇢ While a bit nuttier, parmesan cheese is a delicious alternative if pecorino is hard to find.
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DeLallo Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Buy Now →3 Easy Steps for Perfect Homemade all’Amatriciana Sauce
I fell in love with pasta Amatriciana because it’s so quick and easy to make—it comes together in one skillet and is ready in 25 minutes or less. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal…or a late night nosh after a long restaurant shift! 😉
Heat a splash of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the guanciale or pancetta. Cook until the fat renders and the pork turns crisp and golden—this is the foundation of flavor for your Amatriciana sauce! Tip! ⇢ Remove about ⅓ of the crispy guanciale/pancetta with a slotted spoon to reserve for garnishing.
Add crushed red pepper flakes and thinly sliced garlic to the pan, letting them sizzle in the rich pork fat. Cook just until the garlic turns golden brown—your kitchen will smell divine!
Deglaze with a splash of white wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Once the wine has reduced, stir in the tomato passata. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until thickened and fragrant.
Prefer not to cook with alcohol? ⇢ No worries! Feel free to skip the white wine entirely—your Amatriciana sauce will still taste delicious.
Tossing with Pasta and Other Finishing Touches
Best pasta for Amatriciana sauce? ⇢ Bucatini is my go-to! Bucatini is a long pasta with a hole running down the center—like a hollow spaghetti. It has a hearty texture, and the sauce gets trapped inside, making each bite burst with even more flavor. Other great pasta options for Amatriciana sauce include spaghetti, rigatoni, and paccheri. For an extra-cozy dinner, try Gnocchi Amatriciana.
The #1 mistake I see home cooks make when preparing a pasta dish is simply plopping sauce on a plate of cooked pasta. Please don’t do this! For restaurant-worthy results, always simmer your al dente pasta with the Amatriciana sauce before serving. To learn more, check out my complete guide for How to Cook Pasta Perfectly Every Single Time.
Other Serving Suggestions. ⇢ A rich sauce like Amatriciana always pairs beautifully with a light, fresh side dish. Make it a meal with my Mixed Greens Side Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette, some crusty bread, and a cheerful red wine like Chianti Classico or Barbera.
I can’t wait for you to try this easy Bucatini all’Amatriciana recipe! It’s such a simple yet iconic pasta dish to have in your back pocket. You’ll love making it over and over!
If you do give it a try, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! ♡ Happy cooking!
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25-Minute Bucatini all’Amatriciana (Restaurant-Worthy!)
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Prep Time: 5 minutes -
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Cook Time: 20 minutes -
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Total Time: 25 minutes -
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Yield: serves 4 -
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Category: Pasta Recipes, Main Dishes -
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Method: Stovetop -
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Cuisine: Italian, American
Prep Time:
Yield:
Category:
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Pin RecipeDescription
Create a taste of Italy in your own kitchen with this easy Bucatini all’Amatriciana recipe!
This iconic Roman pasta dish is famous for its signature spicy tomato sauce, infused with rendered guanciale or pancetta, chili flakes, and plenty of garlic—all made from scratch in 25 minutes or less! Toss with chewy bucatini for a quick dinner that tastes just as good as your favorite trattoria.
Perfect for lazy weeknights and easy entertaining!
Ingredients
- 12 ounces DeLallo Bucatini or pasta of choice
- 1 tablespoon DeLallo Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 8 ounces pancetta or guanciale, diced into ¼-inch cubes (see Recipe Notes)
- 8 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
- 1 ½ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup dry unoaked white wine
- 2 cups DeLallo Passata (see Recipe Notes)
- ⅓ cup finely grated pecorino romano or parmesan cheese
- for serving, as desired: additional grated cheese, finely chopped fresh parsley, extra virgin olive oil, etc.
Instructions
- Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the bucatini and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, to al dente according to package directions. Carefully dip a liquid measuring cup into the pot to reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water and set aside. Carefully drain the pasta – do not rinse. Tip! ⇢ For a perfectly timed meal, wait to drop the pasta until the amatriciana sauce is simmering, Step 4. (Learn more! ⇢ How to Cook Pasta Perfectly Every Single Time!)
![An overhead shot of cooked bucatini in a strainer over a large white pot on a white marbled surface.]()
- Render the pancetta: To a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and pancetta. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the pancetta becomes golden and crispy, about 5-6 minutes. If desired, reserve about ⅓ of the crispy pancetta for garnish.
![An overhead shot of guanciale rendering in a white skillet with a wooden spoon atop a white marbled surface.]()
- Cook the aromatics: To the skillet with the pancetta, add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often, until the garlic is just beginning to turn golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.
![An overhead shot of pancetta and aromatics simmering in olive oil in a white skillet atop a white marbled surface.]()
- Prepare the amatriciana sauce: Deglaze the pan by slowly pouring the white wine into the skillet, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Let the wine simmer for 2-3 minutes, until reduced, then carefully stir in the tomato passata. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Simmer 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
![An overhead shot of tomato sauce in a white skillet with a wooden spoon, sitting atop a white marbled surface.]()
- Toss the bucatini all’Amatriciana: Add the cooked bucatini and grated cheese to the amatriciana sauce. Toss to combine well – the sauce should evenly coat the pasta. Add in some of the reserved pasta water if the sauce needs to loosen up a little; increase the heat or add in a little more cheese if it needs to tighten up more. Cook 1-2 minutes longer, allowing the pasta to meld with the sauce, then remove from the heat.
![An overhead shot of bucatini all'amatriciana in a white skillet atop a white marbled surface.]()
- Serve immediately: Divide the bucatini all’Amatriciana into pasta bowls. Top with reserved pancetta, extra grated cheese, finely chopped parsley, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil as desired. Enjoy!
![An overhead shot of a serving of bucatini all'amatriciana in a stoneware bowl on a white marbled surface. The bowl is surrounded by a second bowl of pasta, a beige cloth and dishes of parmesan and parsley.]()
Notes
Jess’ Tips and Tricks:
- Pancetta vs guanciale: Pasta all’Amatriciana is traditionally prepared with guanciale, Italian cured pork jowl. It’s super rich and absolutely delicious! If you can find it, definitely feel free to use it for this recipe; it’s a little hard to come by in my neighborhood, so I often use good-quality pancetta instead. Pancetta is cured pork belly – kind of like unsmoked Italian bacon. It’s meatier and leaner than guanciale, but still creates a deliciously rich amatriciana sauce. Widely available at most conventional grocery stores, you can typically find pancetta already diced up in an individual container near the cured meats and bacon, or cut-to-order at the deli counter. If you cannot find either, feel free to use regular American-style bacon – thick, center-cut bacon works best for this recipe.
- Passata is uncooked Italian tomato puree made by running plum tomatoes through a food mill to remove the seeds and stems – a great shortcut ingredient to keep stocked in your pantry! DeLallo’s is fantastic. If you cannot find passata, canned whole tomatoes work well too – place the tomatoes and their juices in a food processor, then pulse to chop the tomatoes as chunky or smooth as you’d like. Whether using passata or processed canned tomatoes, you’ll need about 2 cups for this recipe; reserve any remaining for making another sauce, soup/stew, or pizza night.
Storage, Reheating, and Freezing:
- Storage and Reheating: Leftover bucatini all’Amatriciana can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Reheat on the stovetop in a skillet over low heat, adding an extra splash of water or cooking stock to loosen up the carbonara sauce as needed, until warmed through.
- Freezing Instructions: Amatriciana sauce is also incredibly freezer-friendly. Transfer cooled amatriciana sauce (after Step 4) to a freezer container. Freeze up to 3 months. To thaw, place the frozen amatriciana sauce in the refrigerator overnight or submerge the freezer container in room temperature water for a quicker thaw. Reheat in a skillet. If the thawed sauce is a little watery at first, simply allow any residual water to simmer out. If the thawed sauce is too thick, simply add in a splash of water or stock until your desired consistency is reached.
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