ReelsMealsSign inStart cooking

Carbonara: 3 creator recipes compared

Most use spaghetti, olive oil and garlic. Some add seitan tofu or eggs.

Start with Chef GR’s versionSee all 3 side by side

Times are estimated preparation and cooking; chilling or resting is extra. Updated 30 October 2026.

Spaghetti Carbonara (Roman Style) by Chef GR, a frame from the Instagram video

Make this one first.

We put the most-saved version first: Chef GR’s. A traditional Roman spaghetti carbonara featuring crisp guanciale, rich egg yolks, and sharp Pecorino Romano, creating a silky sauce without any cream. The dish highlights the balance of salty pork and peppery cheese for an authentic Italian dinner.

Spaghetti Carbonara (Roman Style) from Chef GR’s Instagram video

The video loads from Instagram when you tap.

Spaghetti Carbonara (Roman Style)

Recipe from Chef GR, from their Instagram videoWritten down by ReelsMeals from the caption and voiceover.

  • 25 min
  • Serves 1
  • 6 ingredients

The only one of the 3 with guanciale, egg yolks and pecorino romano.

Ingredients

  • 100 gspaghetti
  • 50 gguanciale
  • 2egg yolks
  • 30 gPecorino Romano
  • to tasteblack pepper
  • to tastesalt

How it goes

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a light amount of salt, and cook the spaghetti.

  2. Cut the guanciale into strips and place it in a cold pan; heat over medium‑low until the fat renders and the pieces become crispy.

  3. Remove the pan from the heat, set the crispy guanciale aside, and keep the rendered fat in the pan.

  4. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks together with the finely grated Pecorino Romano and a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper to form a thick paste.

  5. Cook the spaghetti until 1–2 minutes before it reaches al dente, then reserve a splash of the hot pasta water.

  6. Transfer the spaghetti to the pan with the rendered guanciale fat, add a splash of the reserved pasta water, and toss to coat.

Then 3 more steps in the full recipe.

Open the full recipe

All 3, side by side.

From each creator’s recipe as we saved it. Time is the estimated preparation and cooking time; chilling is extra where they say so. Ingredient counts include everything on the list.

Sort by

10 min or less · 7 or fewer11 to 29 min · 8 or 930 min or more · 10 or more

3 carbonara recipes compared by estimated time, servings, ingredients, method and what only that version uses. Chef GR’s, the one to make first, is highlighted.
VersionTime (est.)ServesIngredientsMethodOnly this one uses
Spaghetti Carbonara (Roman Style)Chef GR · make this one first25 min16Not clear from the stepsguanciale, egg yolks and pecorino romano
Creamy High Protein One Pot Vegan CarbonaraSören Manke35 min412One pot, Simmered, Blenderseitan tofu, soy milk, nutritional yeast flakes and soy cream
Garlic Confit CarbonaraAna Negoita50 min48Simmeredeggs, pancetta and parmesan cheese

What they share.

  • 2 of 3use spaghetti. Sören Manke’s version leaves it out.
  • 2 of 3use olive oil. Chef GR’s version leaves it out.
  • 2 of 3use garlic. Chef GR’s version leaves it out.

Counted from each version’s ingredient list. Salt, pepper, oil and water are left out, and names are matched loosely, so chicken thighs and chicken legs both count as chicken.

Where they differ.

  • How they cook it

    Only Sören Manke keeps everything in one pot. Sören Manke and Ana Negoita simmer, poach or braise; Chef GR doesn't. Only Sören Manke uses a blender.

  • Something only one of them uses

    Chef GR is the only one to use guanciale, egg yolks and pecorino romano. Sören Manke is the only one to use seitan tofu, soy milk, nutritional yeast flakes and soy cream. Ana Negoita is the only one to use eggs, pancetta and parmesan cheese.

  • Time and list length

    Chef GR takes the least time (25 min); Ana Negoita the most (50 min). Chef GR uses the shortest ingredient list (6); Sören Manke the longest (12).

All 3, with their videos.

Each one opens as a full recipe with the creator credited and the original video linked.

How this comparison works.

Every recipe here comes from a creator’s own video. ReelsMeals writes it down from the caption and the voiceover, and publishes it with the creator named and the original linked. When three or more versions of a dish from at least two creators are saved, the dish gets a page like this one. Reposts and the same video saved twice count once.

Times and servings come from the saved recipe cards and may be estimated. Ingredient names are matched loosely, so chicken thighs and chicken legs both count as chicken. We don’t rank them by taste: the version shown first is the one ReelsMeals cooks have saved most. Last updated 30 October 2026.

Is one of these yours? Email [email protected] to correct it or take it down.

Turn your own saved reel into a recipe

More dishes, compared.

Or browse all 111 dishes or every recipe.