National Carbonara Day

National Carbonara Day celebrates pasta alla carbonara, the much-loved Italian pasta dish made with pasta, eggs, Pecorino, guanciale, and black pepper. Observed annually on April 6, the holiday was launched in 2017 by Unione Italiana Food—formerly AIDEPI—and the International Pasta Organisation (IPO). Its purpose is to honor carbonara while encouraging conversation about the many ways people prepare it. The IPO describes the dish’s core ingredients, while a 2019 announcement explains the holiday’s origins.

Carbonara is associated with Roman and Lazio cuisine, but the dish’s exact origins remain uncertain. One theory connects it to American troops in Italy during World War II, whose bacon and powdered eggs may have been combined with Italian pasta. Another links it to Apennine charcoal burners and earlier pasta dishes made with cheese and eggs. The first known printed reference to “spaghetti alla carbonara” appeared in the Italian newspaper La Stampa in 1950, and early recipes varied considerably. That history helps explain why debates over guanciale or pancetta, Pecorino or Parmesan, and the use of cream continue to accompany the celebration.

How to Observe National Carbonara Day

Celebrate by preparing or ordering a plate of carbonara. Try the five-ingredient combination of pasta, eggs, Pecorino, guanciale, and black pepper, or explore a different version and compare the results. Share a photo, recipe, or opinion about what makes the ideal carbonara, and invite friends or family to join the delicious debate.

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