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carbonara

American  
[kahr-buh-nahr-uh, kahr-baw-nah-rah] / ˌkɑr bəˈnɑr ə, ˌkɑr bɔˈnɑ rɑ /

noun

Italian Cooking.
  1. a sauce or dressing for spaghetti, usually containing minced prosciutto or pancetta, egg yolks, and grated cheese.


Etymology

Origin of carbonara

1960–65; < dialectal Italian ( alla ) carbonara literally, in the manner of the charcoal pit (compare Late Latin carbonaria brazier; Carbonari ); perhaps in reference to the use of leftover grilled meat in the sauce

Vocabulary lists containing carbonara

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Kanzen will introduce two new frozen products this month, including spicy Dandan noodles and spaghetti carbonara.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 28, 2025

Italians often get angry when foreigners tinker with their food recipes - pizza with pineapple, cappuccino after midday or carbonara with cream, for example.

From BBC • Aug. 7, 2025

He also mentioned that he plans to sell his own carbonara sauce, made from fresh and whole ingredients, in Italian supermarkets soon.

From Salon • Sep. 5, 2024

Typical dishes include tortellini in broth from the northern Emilia region, spaghetti alla carbonara from central regions around Rome, and pasta alla Norma in Sicily.

From Reuters • Nov. 25, 2023

After eating nothing but sandwiches and granola bars for two days, Ivy’s mouth watered just thinking about Mr. Bishop’s spinach-and-cheese omelets and homemade chicken carbonara pasta.

From "Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World" by Ashley Herring Blake