Cacio e Pepe Risotto
Looking for an easy dinner? Then try this Cacio e Pepe Risotto recipe; it’s incredibly creamy and decadent, packed with flavor. This dish is all about the cheese and fresh cracked pepper, and it is divine! This is a simple recipe anyone can make at home. Best of all, it requires only a few ingredients and cooks in 20 minutes. Plus, we’ll show you step-by-step instructions, plus a video!
Cacio e Pepe Risotto
Traditionally, this Italian dish is made with spaghetti, like our Cacio e Pepe Recipe, but today, we decided to make it with risotto. And it’s FABULOUS!
Cacio means cheese, but not just any cheese; it means pecorino cheese. And Pepe means freshly cracked black pepper. It’s a simple recipe – and loaded with a ton of flavor!
We’ll explain what you’ll need and how to make it, along with a video to watch.
If you love risotto recipes, then be sure to try our Creamy Lemon Risotto with Baby Peas and Creamy Asparagus Risotto. And, don’t miss our Easy Vegetable Risotto, it is amazing too!
A Few Things You Will Need
To make this risotto, you will need a large skillet (we used our favorite All-Clad Stainless Steel 12-inch Skillet). You’ll also need a wooden spoon for stirring. NOTE: You can also make it in a 2-quart pot, as we did with our Risotto con Funghi (Mushrooms)
Using Arborio Rice
When making risotto, we prefer only Arborio rice. Italian Arborio rice cooks differently from other rice brands. It is not your typical rice, which you can dump into a pot of boiling water and walk away from it. Instead, Arborio rice is slowly cooked with broth or water, which is added and simmered until the rice is perfectly tender.
Overview: Ingredients Needed for Cacio e Pepe Risotto:
Our ingredients with exact amounts and directions are located in our recipe card at the bottom of this page. You can also watch our Video.
- Arborio Rice – an Italian rice and the main ingredient in this recipe.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – use any good-quality olive oil to sauté the onion and garlic in this recipe.
- Onion – you will need 1/2 of an onion for this recipe.
- Garlic – one garlic clove, minced, is all you will need to sauté with the onion.
- Butter – is needed to make it creamy at the end of the cooking process.
- Wine – a little good-quality white wine to flavor the rice at the start of cooking.
- Liquid – some vegetable broth and lots of water are needed to cook the rice slowly.
- Seasonings – the only ones you need are salt (or Himalayan salt) and lots of fresh, cracked black pepper.
- Grated Cheese – you will need grated pecorino cheese, a salty cheese that melts perfectly to give this dish its creamy consistency.
How to Make Cacio e Pepe Risotto?
This dish is relatively easy to make. Also, our full recipe card and video are at the bottom of this post. But first, let’s run through these easy steps to show you what’s involved before you start:
- Prep the Vegetables: Chop the onion and garlic.
- Sauté Them: In a large 12-inch non-stick skillet, heat olive oil with 1 tablespoon of butter on moderate heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté until softened.
- Add the Rice and Wine: Add the Arborio rice and stir to coat the rice. Then pour in the 1/2 cup white wine and simmer until the rice absorbs it, stirring occasionally. (see my notes below!)
- Pour in Gradually Water & Broth: Next, pour in 2 cups of water, and bring it to a low boil. Stir the rice often until the water is mostly absorbed. Then add 1/2 cup more water and 1/2 cup vegetable broth. Simmer and cook until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is tender to the bite. (NOTE: If the rice is still not fully cooked, add more water, about 1/4 cup at a time.) This process takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Turn Off Heat: When the rice is fully cooked to your liking, turn off the heat. Stir in some butter, then toss in the grated pecorino cheese and fresh cracked black pepper. Taste the rice, adjust, and add additional black pepper to your taste.
- Then Serve: Ladle the risotto into your serving bowls and serve immediately.
HELPFUL TIP! This dish needs to be served immediately. So you will need to serve it as soon as it’s fully cooked. The rice will be creamy and delicious, but it will quickly absorb all its luscious sauce if left alone too long.
Variations To Making It
Cacio e Pepe risotto is delicious on its own. You can easily make this dish your own by adding a few more ingredients to your liking:
- Toss in some grated Parmesan cheese. Having two kinds of Italian cheeses makes this dish even richer and more delicious.
- Add a few tablespoons of mascarpone cheese for a lusciously creamy texture.
- Pour in some heavy cream and simmer for a few more minutes to thicken.
- Toss in some freshly chopped asparagus or frozen peas for the last few minutes before serving.
- Finish with fresh lemon juice for a lemony flavor, fresh herbs, and maybe some brown butter for the ultimate flavor.
FAQ’s
- Can we make this dish with any rice? We prefer to use only Arborio rice for all risotto recipes.
- Do we need to heat up the water and broth before adding them, as it states in other recipes? No, no need to reheat the water or broth – simply because it cuts the time for us when cooking risotto. Although in culinary schools, they will tell you differently. But it’s not a deal breaker.
- When it cools down and thickens, how do we reheat it? There are two ways to reheat risotto, one way is to add a small amount of water to the pot and on low heat stir until it loosens the rice and becomes loose and creamy again. Another way is to pop it into the microwave in a safe dish or bowl, and reheat in small increments of 30 seconds until it reaches your desired temperature.
Storing and Freezing
- Let the risotto cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container, then keep it chilled in the refrigerator.
- It will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
- Plus, you can freeze it for another dinner soon because it freezes well, for up to 1 month.
WATCH VIDEO! How to Make Cacio e Pepe Risotto?
A Culinary Delight for Dinner…
Your family and friends will LOVE this dish as much as we do. Just serve it as soon as it’s ready. It’s so good you might want to keep it on rotation. Serve it with a glass of your favorite white wine and a delicious fall orange endive salad as a light, refreshing side, and enjoy!
CHEERS!
Your comments help us! If you try our Cacio e Pepe Risotto, let us know and leave a comment with a star rating below! We’d love to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
More Risotto Recipes You’ll Love!
- Creamy Lemon Risotto with Baby Peas
- Easy Risotto Milanese
- Butternut Squash Risotto with Cheese and Sage
- Cod Fillet Over Pesto Risotto
- Risotto con Funghi (Mushrooms)
- Creamy Asparagus Risotto
- Easy Vegetable Risotto
Cacio e Pepe Risotto
Cacio e Pepe Risotto is incredibly creamy, decadent and packed with flavor. This dish is all about the cheese and fresh cracked pepper. Best of all, it is made with only a few ingredients, including Arborio rice, and cooks up in 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 of an onion - chopped (3/4 cup)
- 1 garlic clove - chopped
- 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter - divided
- 1 cup of Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 2 + 1/2 cups of bottled water, plus extra as needed
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 1/2 tsp. Himalayan salt
- 1 cup grated pecorino cheese
- freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large 12-inch non-stick skillet, heat olive oil with 1 tablespoon of butter on moderate heat. Toss in the chopped onion and garlic and sauté until it softens, stirring occasionally, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the Arborio rice, and stir to coat the rice. Then pour in the 1/2 cup of white wine, and simmer the rice until it absorbs all the wine, stirring occasionally.
- Next, pour in 2 cups of water, and bring it to a low boil. Stir the rice often until the water is mostly absorbed.
- Then pour in an additional 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of vegetable broth. Simmer and cook the rice until it has absorbed all the liquid and the rice is tender to the bite. NOTE: If the rice is still not fully cooked, you can add additional water, about 1/4 cup each time.
- When the rice is fully cooked to your liking, turn off the heat.
- Toss in 3 tablespoons of butter, and stir until butter is completely absorbed into the rice.
- Then toss in the grated pecorino cheese, and stir in some black pepper. Taste the rice, adjust, and add additional black pepper to your taste.
- Ladle the risotto into your serving bowls and serve immediately.
Notes
For Storing & Freezing: It's best to allow the risotto to cool completely before transferring it to an air-tight container, and keep it chilled in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 3 days. You can freeze it for another dinner; it will freeze well for up to 1 month.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 servings Serving Size: 1 servingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 653Total Fat: 63.6gCholesterol: 160mgCarbohydrates: 14.7gFiber: .6gSugar: .7gProtein: 8.7g
Have a Delicious Day! 🙂
Thanks for stopping by…
xo anna and liz
Related Posts:
Welcome! From Anna and Liz
We believe the kitchen is the center and the heart of the home. It is where we cook, eat, and unwind with family and friends, creating memorable traditions! Read more…
FREE EMAIL BONUS
Weeknight Dinners Made Easy
Tips & recipes for delicious meals . . . no matter your skill level!
FREE EMAIL BONUS
Weeknight Dinners Made Easy
Tips & recipes for delicious meals . . . no matter your skill level!