Cacio e Pepe Recipe

Cacio e Pepe Recipe is a popular Italian pasta dish made with 2 ingredients, cheese, and pepper. This rich and creamy sauce is easily made with pecorino cheese, black pepper, butter, olive oil, and salty pasta water. Tossed with spaghetti, making this recipe simple, with a decadent and flavorful sauce! Perfect for a quick pasta night when you need one!

Cacio e Pepe Recipe…

Cacio e Pepe in Italian means: cheese and pepper.

This recipe for Cacio e Pepe is quick and easy to make, with only a few simple ingredients which you probably have in your kitchen. It is a pasta dish that originated in Rome, Italy, and was created long ago as a meal made with “whatever you had on hand.”

This recipe happens to be another one of those great ideas the Italians came up with to make a dish using only a few ingredients. Similar to our easy-weekly pasta dishes, like our Angel Hair Pasta with Lemon Sauce, Pasta with Creamy Cauliflower, and Pasta Cooked with Broccoli. And, don’t miss our favorite Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil.

Regardless of where it came from, this dish is so creamy and delicious, that you won’t be able to stop eating it. There’s nothing like a great dish of pasta for dinner. Especially ones that are not made with a tomato base sauce.

Besides, Italians are known for getting creative in the kitchen and whipping up meals to feed their family. In addition, Pecorino-Romano cheese originates in Rome, which is in the Lazio region of Italy. So it was widely used for many dishes.

Pasta Cacio e Pepe is also gaining popularity here in the U.S., especially in larger cities. You may even spot it on your next dinner menu at an Italian restaurant.

What makes Cacio e Pepe so flavorful?

• The saltiness from both kinds of cheese combined with the black pepper which carries a complex flavor of piney, citrusy notes, lends a lovely flavor to the spaghetti.
• Plus, the salty water helps create enough liquid for the sauce to become rich and creamy.

Trust me, it is divine!

Ingredients Needed:

For our Cacio e Pepe recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

1. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: 2 to 4 tablespoons is enough.
2. Unsalted Butter: 4 tablespoons, which is half a stick of butter.
3. Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese: at least 1 cup, about 90 grams,
4. Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese: at least 1/4 cup.
5. Coarsely Cracked Black Pepper: at least 20 turns of pepper into the pot, with additional pepper when serving.
6. Salty Pasta Water: at least 1 cup.
7. Spaghetti: 1 pound (16 ounces.)

How to Make Cacio e Pepe?

Basically, for this simple recipe, you must boil the spaghetti, reserve some of the salty water, and drain it. Next, toss all the ingredients with the pasta, including the salty pasta water.

All in one pot! Then serve.

Notes and Tips for Success:

• Be sure to REMOVE the Pot from the heat before adding the cheeses.
• This is a pasta dish needs to be served immediately because the sauce tends to stick to the bottom of the pot.
• If it does get too sticky, add some more of the “salted water” to the pot and stir vigorously.
• The spaghetti should be a little bit undercooked when drained because it will continue to cook as you make and stir in the sauce.
• You can add more fresh ground pepper and additional grated Pecorino Romano cheese on top of the dish before eating. It looks great and adds so much flavor.

Questions and Answers:

1. Is this dish kid-friendly? Yes! But, most kids love to eat pasta with butter and this dish is very similar. Quick Tip: we recommend to use a little less pepper for children.

2. Can we use different kinds of pasta with this recipe? Of course! Serve this dish using different types of long noodles, especially if you are tired of eating spaghetti. Use gluten-free pasta too!

3. Can we substitute pasta for vegetables? Yes! You can make this delicious dish using popular zucchini noodles, for a healthy and lighter meal.

4. What do you serve with Cacio e Pepe? Serve this simple dish with a variety of entrees and appetizers. You can also serve it as the main entrée. (See our notes below!)

5. Can we add cream to the sauce? Yes, if you prefer. You can pour some heavy cream directly into the pot and the steaming pasta will help to thicken it. Or increase the butter, pecorino cheese, and salty water.

6. How many servings does this recipe serve? This recipe will yield 6 servings.

Options to Serve It?

This is a pasta dish you can serve it alone with a green salad as the side. Or, you can serve it as the first course with any of these:

• Bake or Roast Branzino with Lemon
• Easy Italian Tomato Salad (Marinated)
• Parmesan Crusted Chicken Cutlets
• Fried Pork Chops Milanese
• Best Broccoli Salad (Keto)

Storing & Reheating…

TO STORE: Like many pasta dishes, they can be stored in a sealed container and kept chilled in the refrigerator and up to 2 days.

TO REHEAT: You can easily reheat the pasta in the microwave with increments of 1 minute, or more until it is warm enough to your liking. Plus, you can reheat it in a small skillet, on the stovetop, but you will need to add a splash of water to it while reheating.

Additional Easy Pasta Recipes…

• One Pot Pasta Recipe
• Asian-Style Capellini Pasta with Vegetables
• Spaghetti with Roasted Eggplant
• Bow Tie Pasta with Peppers
• Spaghetti with Zucchini (alla Nerano)
• Linguine Pasta with Zucchini & Onions
• Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil

That’s it friends! If you try our Cacio e Pepe Recipe, let us know and leave a comment below! We’d love to hear from you. It not only helps us but it helps everyone who reads them. Have fun and snap a photo and share it on Instagram and Pinterest.  We’d love to see what you bake! For more delicious ideas, follow us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.

Happy Cooking! 🙂

thanks for stopping by!

xo anna and liz