This Lunch Meat Is The Key To A Cheap And Easy 'Carbonara' Pasta

Pasta carbonara is a bit of a deceptive dish, in a couple of different ways. The ingredient list is minimal, and it really doesn't take long to make, which might make people think it's easy to pull off. But, in reality, producing the creamy, silky texture that carbonara is known for takes precise timing and a lot of practice quickly tossing hot pasta in raw eggs and cheese. In addition, it's not necessarily a budget-friendly recipe if you opt to use traditional ingredients. In my experience, guanciale is a meat that can be difficult to find, and the cheeses — Pecorino Romano and real-deal Parmigiano Reggiano – are pretty expensive. The good news is that you certainly can make a version of carbonara that is both easier on your wallet and very delicious. For starters, replace the guanciale with ham lunch meat.

Guanciale is pork jowl, or pork cheek, so by using ham, you're still staying in the pork family. It's best to use cubed ham, so try to find a thickly cut ham slice and dice it into small cubes. You can fry it up in a skillet the same way you'd treat guanciale to obtain a little smoky char on the outside of the meat, which will add to the final flavor of the dish. Pancetta is also often used as a substitution for guanciale in pasta carbonara, but ham luncheon meat is the most budget-friendly option that will still give you wonderful flavor and a meaty chew.

One downside to using cubed ham is that you will lose the rendered fat that comes from guanciale, and this is often used in carbonara to help make the sauce. So, when using ham, you may have to add some olive oil or butter to make up for that.

You don't need a ton of ingredients to pull off a tasty pasta carbonara. Besides your ham, you need the pasta (a long-strand varietal is best, like spaghetti or bucatini), cheese, and eggs. And don't toss that pasta water, as it's crucial in creating the silky sauce in this dish. While this is the traditional list of ingredients, many recipes add even more layers of flavor with additions such as shallots, peas, parsley, white wine, and garlic. The meat you choose to use will also alter the flavor of the finished dish. Ham lunch meat results in a little more smoky sweetness than using guanciale.

But ham isn't the only meat at the deli counter that can be used in a pinch for carbonara. Chunks of Italian salami will work and will give the dish a chewier texture and saltier bite. As for prosciutto, it has more rendered fat than lunch meat ham, but it won't be as smoky. 

If it's smoke you like, don't discount using bacon. Again, it's best to use a thicker cut or ask your butcher to cut you a bacon plank of sorts so you can dice it up to your liking at home. Some say bacon flavor overpowers the rest of the ingredients in carbonara, but you can always use less than what your recipe calls for in regards to the meat source. If you see lardons at the market, these work well in carbonara, too, having a flavor similar to pancetta.