Pasta alla Zozzona is a rich and hearty pasta recipe made with a rich combination of ingredients typical of Roman cuisine. The key ingredients are guanciale, Italian sausage, eggs, tomatoes, Pecorino Romano cheese, and black pepper. These elements combine the flavors of several famous Roman pasta dishes such as Carbonara, Amatriciana, and Gricia, creating a hearty and flavorful sauce.
The name zozzona might sound unusual to non-Italian speakers. In Roman slang, zozzo literally means “dirty,” but when used to describe food it refers to something indulgent, generous, and irresistibly rich.
This dish is often described as a bold combination of several classic Roman pasta recipes: the creamy richness of Carbonara, the meaty intensity of traditional Amatriciana, the luscious Pasta alla Gricia and the spicy taste of the Roman Cacio e Pepe.
While its exact origins remain uncertain, Pasta alla Zozzona recipe likely emerged in Roman trattorias as a creative way to combine some of the city’s most beloved ingredients into one satisfying pasta dish.
Today it is considered one of the most flavorful examples of traditional Roman pasta recipes, perfect for anyone who wants to experience the bold spirit of Roman cooking in a single plate.
Jump to:
Why This Pasta alla Zozzona Recipe Works
- The combination of guanciale and sausage creates a rich and flavorful base.
- Eggs and Pecorino Romano add a creamy texture similar to carbonara.
- Tomato balances the richness and gives the sauce a bright flavor.
Ingredients
Prep Time: 20 Min | Cook Time: 30 Min | Servings: 4
- 350 g (12 oz) rigatoni
- 250 g (about ½ pound) pork sausage
- 200 g (7 oz) guanciale
- 4 egg yolks
- 60 g (about 4 tablespoons) finely grated Pecorino Romano DOP, plus more to serve
- 350 g (1 ½ cups) canned San Marzano tomatoes
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Salt, to taste
How to Make Pasta alla Zozzona
Make the Sauce
Step 1) - To prepare Pasta alla Zozzona start by slicing the guanciale about half an inch thick and cutting it into cubes or strips, as you prefer.
Then remove the casing from the sausage and cut it into chunks.
Step 2) - In a large non-stick frying pan, sauté the sausage and guanciale on low heat for about 2 minutes.
Crush the peeled tomatoes with a fork, then add them to the pan.
Step 3) - Let cook for 7-8 minutes on medium heat. At the end taste the sauce and add salt if necessary. Meanwhile, grate the pecorino Romano
The Pecorino and Eggs Cream
Step 4) - Separately, in a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the grated pecorino cheese and a generous grinding of black pepper until creamy.
Step 5) - Add a couple of tablespoons of the pasta cooking water to make it creamier, stir and set aside.
Cook the Pasta
Step 6) - Put the pasta to cook in plenty of salted water for the time indicated on the package. In fact, for the perfect success of the dish, the pasta will have to be al dente.
Season and Serve
Step 7) - Turn on the heat under the pan with the tomato sauce, guanciale, and sausage. When the pasta is cooked, drain it with a skimmer directly into the pan. Turn the heat up to high and cnbine for 1 minute.
Step 8) - Now take the pan off the heat and add the cream of eggs and pecorino cheese. The eggs will cook with the heat of the pan and the sauce, without curdling too much. Stir and combine all the ingredients.
Pasta alla Zozzona is Ready! Place into plates, decorating with freshly ground black pepper and grated pecorino romano cheese.
Storage
To store Pasta alla Zozzona after cooking, you should allow it to come to room temperature. This prevents the build-up of condensation, which can make the dish too watery.
Then transfer the pasta to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
When you're ready to enjoy your stored pasta, make sure to reheat it thoroughly. If using a microwave, sprinkle a little water over the pasta to prevent it from drying out. If reheating on the stove, you can add a splash of water to help restore its original texture.
More Traditional Roman Recipes
- Saltimbocca alla Romana
- Fettuccine alla Papalina
- Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
- Roman-Style Chicken (Pollo alla Romana)
- Roman Rice-stuffed Tomatoes (Pomodori al Riso)
Variations
The possible variations for pasta alla zozzona recipe are not many; they mainly concern the substitution of some ingredients.
- Pasta: the authentic recipe calls for rigatoni, but you can use any type of pasta you like. However, we recommend short pasta such as fusilli, penne, mezze maniche and maccheroni.
- Cheese: Pecorino Romano cheese would be a must, in fact it's a very typical cheese of Rome and the Lazio region. However, you can substitute it with Parmigiano Reggiano. Parmigiano, on the other hand, is a typical Italian cheese from the northern regions, less tasty than Pecorino, depending on the seasoning.
- Guanciale: If you cannot find traditional guanciale, you can substitute with pancetta, not smoked.
- Tomato: Some people use tomato passata, some use peeled tomatoes, and some use fresh tomatoes. We use peeled tomatoes, but other choices work as well.
- Pepper: Some people use hot pepper instead of black pepper, others use both. Hot pepper is used in Amatriciana, while pepper is used in Carbonara and Cacio e Pepe, so you would actually need both. For us, it ended up being too spicy, so we went with just black pepper. We think it depends on your taste.
- Herbs: basil, parsley, thyme... know that they have nothing to do with this traditional recipe. But if you really like them, go ahead and add the one you prefer in the tomato sauce.
The Origin of Pasta alla Zozzona
The origin of Pasta alla Zozzona is not entirely clear. It's more of a contemporary dish than an ancient one, with Romans and tourists looking for something a bit different yet still deeply rooted in Roman culinary tradition.
However, like many dishes, its rise to popularity likely started with someone's playful experimentation in the kitchen, combining roman beloved recipes into one. It then possibly gained traction locally in Roman trattorias or households before being recognized more widely.
Given its origins, it's an excellent representation of the evolution of cuisine, where tradition meets modernity, and regional dishes can blend to create something new and exciting.
The term "alla zozzona" comes from the Italian word "zozzo," which literally means "dirty." Actually, the word "zozzona" here is used not to mean dirty, but to define something rich, nutritious, and high-calorie.
In fact, the term "zozzo" in the context of food in Rome is meant to indicate something particularly gluttonous, hearty, greasy, succulent, and above all caloric.
Recipe Card
Pasta alla Zozzona Recipe (Authentic Roman Pasta)
Ingredients
- 350 g rigatoni - 12 oz
- 250 g pork sausage - about ½ pound
- 200 g guanciale - 7 oz
- 4 egg yolks
- 60 g freshly grated Pecorino Romano - about 4 tablespoons + more to serve
- 350 g canned San Marzano tomatoes - 1 ½ cups
- freshly ground black pepper
- salt - to taste
Instructions
MAKE THE SAUCE
- Slice the guanciale about half an inch thick and cutting it into cubes or strips, as you prefer.
- Then remove the casing from the sausage and cut it into chunks.
- In a large non-stick frying pan, sauté the sausage and guanciale on low heat for about 2 minutes.
- Crush the peeled tomatoes with a fork, then add them to the pan.
- Let cook for 7-8 minutes on medium heat. At the end taste the sauce and add salt if necessary. Meanwhile, grate the pecorino Romano
MAKE THE PECORINO AND EGGS CREAM
- Separately, in a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the grated pecorino cheese and a generous grinding of black pepper until creamy.
- Add a couple of tablespoons of the pasta cooking water to make it creamier, stir and set aside.
COOK THE PASTA
- Put the pasta to cook in plenty of salted water for the time indicated on the package. In fact, for the perfect success of the dish, the pasta will have to be al dente.
- Turn on the heat under the pan with the tomato sauce, guanciale, and sausage. When the pasta is cooked, drain it with a skimmer directly into the pan. Turn the heat up to high and cnbine for 1 minute.
- Step 8) - Now take the pan off the heat and add the cream of eggs and pecorino cheese. The eggs will cook with the heat of the pan and the sauce, without curdling too much. Stir and combine all the ingredients.
- Pasta alla Zozzona is Ready! Place into plates, decorating with freshly ground black pepper and grated pecorino romano cheese.
Robert says
I used pancetta because that is all the stores had and Italian hot sausage. Rest was the same. Pecorino Romano is my favorite Italian cheese. Wonderful Sunday dinner with some Chianti wine.
Evelyn says
Looks fabulous. I have to see if Italian butcher carries guanciale. I will use pancetta if not available. My favorite macaroni is rigatoni although I was taught 'scafatone' in my mother's dialect.
Thanks for recipe.