Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (2024)

Published April 3, 2020.This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Bucatini All’Amatriciana is a delicious large round pasta tossed in an easy to make 5-minute tomato-based sauce that is finished with pecorino Romano cheese.

Pasta recipes are always a family favorite because they’re simple to prepare and are always tasty. I make Spaghetti Sauce and Alfredo a few times a month and they are always a big hit.

Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (1)

Bucatini All’Amatriciana

This is one of the easiest kinds of pasta you can make because it comes together quickly and consists of only 5 ingredients. It is also one of the four traditional Roman Pastas, which include Alla Gricia, Cacio E Pepe, and Carbonara.

Here are the few ingredients for a classic Amatriciana recipe:

  • Guanciale
  • White Wine (Optional)
  • Crushed Tomatoes
  • Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • Bucatini Pasta
  • Sea Salt and Pepper

If you don’t have all of these ingredients, don’t sweat it as I will give you some optional variations in the post below.

Do I Have to Use Bucatini

While bucatini is the classic noodle used in an Amatriciana sauce, you can absolutely choose a different pasta type. The second most common noodle used is spaghetti. However, please feel free to use what you have to make it work for you.

How to Make the Sauce

Cook the guanciale in a large frying pan over medium-low heat until browned and tender.

Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (2)

Optionally deglaze with white wine until the amount of liquid is reduced by one half.

Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (3)

Add in the tomatoes and crushed red pepper flakes, and stew over low heat for 2-3 minutes.

Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (4)

Finish by tossing with the cooked drained pasta, pecorino Romano cheese, sea salt, and cracked pepper. Make sure the cheese is melted completely before serving.

Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (5)

Amatriciana Variations

It may be tough to secure all of the traditional ingredients, so I wanted to provide a few options for you.

If you cannot secure guanciale, you may use the following:

  • Pancetta
  • Prosciutto
  • Thick-Cut Bacon

You can also alter the crushed tomatoes by using these items:

  • Chopped Fresh Tomatoes
  • Whole Peeled Tomatoes (Crush by Hand or in a Blender)
  • Canned Diced Tomatoes (Blended)

Here are some options for pasta:

  • Spaghetti
  • Orecchiette
  • Mostaccioli
  • Penne
  • Farfalle

Lastly, if you do not have pecorino Romano cheese then you may use parmesan.

Please make this recipe work for you and don’t be shy about using any of these variations. While there are classic ingredients in an Amatriciana, remember it was created only by what was available and in season.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: Since bucatini is a very thick noodle, you can make this up to 30 minutes ahead of time while keeping warm before serving.

How to Reheat: Place your desired amount into a small saucepan and heat over low heat until hot. you may need to add a little water to help thin slightly.

How to Store: Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The pasta will freeze covered for up to 2 months. Thaw for 1 day in the fridge before reheating.

Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (6)

chef notes + tips

  • The use of wine is completely optional in this recipe.
Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (7)

More Pasta Recipes

  • Primavera
  • Pesto
  • Puttanesca
  • Pomodoro
  • Aglio E Olio

Be sure to follow me onFacebook,Youtube,Instagram,andPinterestand if you’ve had a chance to make this then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below!

Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (8)

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Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe

Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (9)

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5 from 12 votes

Bucatini All’Amatriciana is a delicious round pasta tossed in an easy to make 5-minute tomato-based sauce that is finished with pecorino Romano cheese

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces medium-diced guanciale
  • 3 tablespoons dry white wine
  • 2 cups crushed tomatoes
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • ½ cup shredded Pecorino Romano
  • 8 ounces bucatini pasta
  • sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Add the guanciale to a large frying pan over medium-low heat until browned but still tender, which takes about 4-5 minutes.

  • Deglaze with the white wine and cook until the amount of liquid is reduced by one half.

  • Add in the tomatoes and crushed red pepper flakes, and stew for 2-3 minutes.

  • In the meantime, cook your pasta, drain it, and add it to the sauce and mix in with the cheese until it is completely melted.

  • Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper and serve.

Notes

Chef Notes:

  • Make-Ahead: Since bucatini is a very thick noodle, you can make this up to 30 minutes ahead of time while keeping warm before serving.
  • How to Reheat: Place your desired amount into a small saucepan and heat over low heat until hot. you may need to add a little water to help thin slightly.
  • How to Store: Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The pasta will freeze covered for up to 2 months. Thaw for 1 day in the fridge before reheating.
  • The use of wine is completely optional in this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 545kcalCarbohydrates: 69gProtein: 20gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 586mgPotassium: 656mgFiber: 6gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 515IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 248mgIron: 3mg

Course: Main, pasta

Cuisine: Italian

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26 comments

    • Lynne
    • Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (10)

    A definite do over! We had to use panchetta, and tripled the amount just because we can’t get enough of it. Such an easy, tasty recipe! It’s now part of the repertoire

    • Reply
      • Chef Billy Parisi

      Many thanks!

      • Reply
    • sue
    • Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (11)

    Thank you Chef. Billy tastes recipes 😋😁👋🤩

    • Reply
      • Chef Billy Parisi

      Thank you!!

      • Reply
    • Mike Coyne
    • Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (12)

    My favorite pasta. I was taught to make it with lots of black pepper. So simple and so delicious.

    • Reply
    • Lisa gremlich
    • Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (13)

    Sooooo good and easy to prepare

    • Reply
    • Frank Bisceglia
    • Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (14)

    Love this authentic Italian recipe! Made it for my sister in law and now whenever we get together this is part of what’s for dinner that night. Thanks Billy for this and all your delicious recipes. Much appreciated!

    • Reply
    • Frank Bisceglia
    • Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (16)

    Love this authentic Italian recipe! Made it for my sister in law and now whenever we get together this is part of what’s for dinner that night 😉 thank you Billy for this and all of your delicious recipes!

    • Reply
    • Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (17)

        so good!!

        • Reply
      • DIANE M. MAHONEY
      • Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (18)

      Been dying to try this so I made it tonight. It was the first time we’ve ever had Guanciale or Bucattini. I was amazed how light and fresh the sauce tasted. I was afraid the fat from the Guanciale would be too much, but it wasn’t at all! I used canned diced tomatoes that I blended until smooth. This is refreshing and light and not what I expected. We loved it!!!

      • Reply
      • Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (19)

          Thanks for giving it a shot!!

          • Reply
        • Nick
        • Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (20)

        Have made this a few times, so simple and delicious.

        • Reply
        • Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (21)

            Thank you!

            • Reply
          • Lisa Oviatt
          • Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (22)

          Made this for breakfast this morning and absolutely loved it!!! Thank you! Having leftovers for lunch.

          • Reply
          • project igi 3 gameplay

          Thanks a ton; from all of us.

          • Reply
          • Crystal

          I love your recipes and videos! Do you have a recipe/ video for bucatini? Thanks

          • Reply
          • Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (23)

              Just use my pasta recipe and use the bucatini attachment.

              • Reply
            • Jeanette
            • Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (24)

            Make this recipe the first chance you get. It’s so easy, you won’t be disappointed. We had it tonight for the first time (but Not the last!) we all loved it. Thank you Chef Billy!

            • Reply
            • yvette c conklin
            • Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (25)

            Will make this soon- love how simple it is and I do enjoy my pasta with less ingredients sometimes.

            • Reply
            • Nicole

            Could Marsala Wine be used in place of the White wine?

            • Reply
            • Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (26)

                no

                • Reply
              • Terrie
              • Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (27)

              So easy and delish!!!

              • Reply
              • Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (28)

                  thanks for giving it a shot!

                  • Reply
                    • robert brennan

                    I don’t know how to cook, but my wife got a job as our kids older. I came across this Bucatini almatricana and decided to give it a try, it turned out delicious. Cooked enough for 4 buts kids enjoyed it so much they ate it all. Better than what we get in Restaurants in Ireland. Billy what a terrific website you have. Robert

                    • Reply
                    • Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (29)

                        many thanks!

                        • Reply
                Bucatini All’Amatriciana Recipe (2024)

                FAQs

                What is bucatini all amatriciana made of? ›

                Quick, simple, and utterly delicious, this bucatini all'amatriciana recipe – like many other classic Italian pasta dishes – stands the test of time. The secret to success in this dish lies in its quality ingredients – the beautiful guanciale, Pecorino Romano and San Marzano tomatoes make all the difference.

                What does all amatriciana mean in Italian? ›

                Pasta all'amatriciana (or matriciana) is a typical dish of Roman trattorias and taverns but originally from the town of Amatrice, in the province of Rieti. The basic ingredients are basically three: pecorino, guanciale and tomato sauce.

                What is bucatini best used for? ›

                It's the ultimate delivery vehicle for velvety pasta sauces like cacio e pepe or carbonara. That hollow center gives you more sauce with each bite, and around here, we subscribe to the “More Sauce, More Life” lifestyle. Carbonara was made for bucatini...

                What is bucatini traditionally served with? ›

                Bucatini is a tubed pasta made of hard durum wheat flour and water. Its length is 25–30 cm (10–12 in) with a 3 mm (1⁄8 in) diameter. The average cooking time is nine minutes. In Italian cuisine, bucatini is served with buttery sauces, guanciale, vegetables, cheese, eggs, and anchovies or sardines.

                Why is bucatini better than spaghetti? ›

                Bucatini is similar to spaghetti except for its hollow core. Tradition has it that this enables pasta sauce to coat both the outside and the inside of the noodle. Chefs, tired of serving the same pasta cuts available in local supermarkets, embraced bucatini for being unique (but not too unique).

                Does sauce actually get inside bucatini? ›

                Bucatini takes well to almost all kinds of sauces, with the empty center allowing the inside to be coated, as well as the outside of the pasta. Bucatini all'Amatriciana is a popular dish featuring a spicy pork and tomato sauce.

                What is the difference between arrabiata and amatriciana? ›

                The main difference between Amatriciana and Arrabiata sauces is the inclusion of cured pork. Amatriciana sauce is made with guanciale, a type of cured pork cheek, while Arrabiata sauce does not contain any meat. Instead, Arrabiata sauce is made with garlic, red chili peppers, and tomatoes.

                What is the English name for amatriciana sauce? ›

                Sugo all'amatriciana (Italian: [ˈsuːɡo allamatriˈtʃaːna]), or alla matriciana (in Romanesco dialect), also known as salsa all'amatriciana, is a traditional Italian pasta sauce based on guanciale (cured pork cheek), pecorino romano cheese, tomato, and, in some variations, onion.

                What is spaghetti called in Italy? ›

                Etymology. Spaghetti is the plural form of the Italian word spaghetto, which is a diminutive of spago, meaning 'thin string' or 'twine'.

                How do Italians eat bucatini? ›

                Ideal with sardines, all'amatriciana, or cuttlefish ink, as Neapolitan tradition dictates, bucatini is also perfect for original and unexpected combinations. And if cooked very al dente, it's also great for stuffing vegetables, as it can absorb the sauce and flavor while baking in the oven.

                Do you break bucatini in half? ›

                Don't Break the Pasta

                Let the ends stick out until the submerged sections soften, about 1 minute. Then stir to bend the pasta and push it underwater. You don't want short strands. Pasta should be long enough to twirl around your fork.

                Why is it so hard to find bucatini? ›

                I had confirmed that the bucatini shortage was real and understood that the bucatini shortage was a combination of factors: the pandemic's pasta demand, how hard it is to make bucatini because of its hole, De Cecco's strange and untimely barring from the U.S. border.

                What is the closest pasta to bucatini? ›

                Bucatini" comes from the Italian buco, meaning "hole," and "perciatelli" comes from the Neopolitan variant, where perciato means "pierced." Same pasta. As nouns, the difference between bucatini and perciatelli is that bucatini is a thicker form of spaghetti with a hole running through it while perciatelli is bucatini.

                What does bucatini mean in Italian? ›

                Bucatini pasta is thicker than spaghetti, with a straw-like hole running through the middle - bucatini means 'little hole'.

                How much bucatini for one person? ›

                When you cook pasta, 2 ounces of dry pasta per person is a good rule of thumb to follow.

                Does amatriciana have wine in it? ›

                One of my all-time favorite pasta dishes is Bucatini All'Amatriciana. This is a simple red sauce, infused with some pancetta (or guanciale, if you can find it), and a little splash of white wine.

                How is bucatini spaghetti made? ›

                Pasta dough is forced through a perforated disk, producing long strands with a hollow center. It is then cut into the desired lengths and either dried or sold fresh. The extruding process is similar to the production of other hollow shapes like ziti, but the hole is much smaller.

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