Pasta all'Amatriciana Recipe: The Classic Roman Pasta

Name: Pasta All Amatriciana
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb Zelli Rigatoni; 2 bottles Zelli Tomato Sauce; 3/4 lb Guanciale; Grated Pecorino Romano, to taste; Freshly ground black pepper, to taste; Sea salt, to taste

Good ingredients and proper technique are key!

By Giovanni Siracusa

@unpezzoditalia

November 07, 2025

By Giovanni Siracusa

Ingredients

1

lb Zelli Rigatoni
2

bottles Zelli Tomato Sauce
3/4

lb Guanciale
Grated Pecorino Romano, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Sea salt, to taste

Instructions

TOTAL TIME

30 minutes

4 servings

In Italy, you’ll hear “Facciamo un’Amatriciana stasera?” (“Let’s make an Amatriciana tonight?”). So that is exactly what we are doing here, taking you straight to Rome with this classic! This classic Roman pasta is all about balance, the richness of guanciale, the brightness of tomato, and the saltiness of Pecorino. Good ingredients and proper technique are key! Amatriciana is one of Rome's greatest gifts to the world — round out the pasta night with Leslie's Kitchen Lemon Pasta for a bright contrast, try the bold Spaghetti with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto and Tomato Confit for a next-night dinner, or revisit the comfort of Stuffed Pasta Shells for a different crowd-pleaser.

A display of Italian food items on a wooden table: a bottle of Zelli Pomodoro sauce, a box of Zelli rigatoni pasta, a box of Gratsi Red wine, a pepper grinder, a wedge of cheese, and a piece of cooked meat on a plate.

STEP 1: Crisp the Guanciale

Cut the guanciale into thin strips. Add to a large frying pan and cook slowly over low heat, allowing the fat to render out while the meat turns crisp and golden.

STEP 2: Set Aside and Deglaze

Once the guanciale is perfectly crisp, remove it with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel. Leave the rendered fat in the pan that’s the flavor foundation for the sauce.

Crispy bacon strips are being cooked in a frying pan, sizzling in their own fat. The bacon is golden brown and surrounded by bubbling oil.

Crispy cooked bacon strips resting on a white paper towel to absorb excess grease, with a wooden surface underneath.

A shallow pan filled with smooth red tomato sauce sits on a wooden table. In the background are cooked bacon pieces on paper towels, a wooden spoon on a colorful plate, and a can of Zelli tomato sauce.

STEP 3: Simmer the Tomato Sauce

Pour in the Zelli tomato sauce and let it simmer gently for a few minutes to absorb the flavor of the guanciale.

STEP 4: Cook the Rigatoni

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook until just al dente a minute or two shy of the package instructions.

STEP 5: Toss Pasta with Sauce

Transfer the pasta directly into the pan with the simmering sauce. Toss well, letting it finish cooking for another minute as the sauce thickens and clings to each piece.

A man in a white apron standing in front of a table with food.

A pan filled with red tomato sauce topped with uncooked rigatoni pasta sits on a stove. In the background are a pot, a glass of red wine labeled “GRATSI,” and a plate with bacon on a paper towel.

A pot of rigatoni pasta in red sauce, topped with grated cheese and crispy bacon, sits on a wooden table next to a colorful plate and a wooden spoon.

STEP 6: Finish with Pecorino

Turn off the heat and fold in a generous handful of Pecorino Romano and a good grind of black pepper. Return the crispy guanciale to the pan and mix everything together.

STEP 7: Plate and Serve

Spoon the Rigatoni all’Amatriciana onto plates and top with extra Pecorino Romano and freshly cracked black pepper. Pour a glass of Gratsi Red, close your eyes, and picture yourself in Rome with each bite! Buon Appetito!