The Italian cured meat made from the pig's cheek and traditionally essential for carbonara is guanciale.
The name comes from guancia, the Italian word for “cheek.” Guanciale is made from pork jowl or cheeks, rubbed with salt and often seasoned with black pepper, chili, garlic, or herbs before being air-cured for several weeks or months. Its texture is delicate and its fat content is high.
In carbonara, the guanciale is cut into strips or cubes and gently cooked until the fat renders. That seasoned fat becomes part of the sauce, combining with eggs, Pecorino Romano, and pasta water to create carbonara’s characteristic richness. Traditional Roman cooking also uses guanciale in amatriciana.
Pancetta is the most common substitute, but it comes from pork belly rather than the cheek and has a different flavor and fat profile. Prosciutto and coppa are also cured pork products, but neither is the classic carbonara ingredient.