Cacio e pepe is a traditional Roman pasta with a shiny sauce made from pecorino cheese and black pepper. Learn to make it with this straightforward recipe!
Cacio e pepe is like mac and cheese’s cool Italian cousin. It’s creamy and comforting, positive, nevertheless it’s additionally easy and chic. Historically, this Roman dish consists of three substances: Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly cracked black pepper, and pasta. Somewhat pasta water helps the cheese and pepper come collectively to type the pasta’s silky sauce.
I’ve been a fan of cacio e pepe since I first tasted it on a visit to Rome years in the past. I like the salty funk of the cheese towards the chew of the black pepper. I’ve made it at house many occasions…with blended success. Regardless of its simplicity, cacio e pepe is famously difficult to make, and I’ve had my fair proportion of failed makes an attempt (assume cheese clumps).
However after numerous trial and error, I’ve lastly mastered my method. Made with one further ingredient, this cacio e pepe recipe is less complicated than a wholly genuine one, and it tastes simply as scrumptious. Attempt it on a weeknight or a date evening—it’d be excellent for both.
What’s cacio e pepe?
Cacio e pepe is a traditional Roman pasta dish. Its identify interprets to “cheese and pepper,” referring to its two star substances: Pecorino Romano and black pepper.
They—together with a bit of pasta cooking water—create a calmly creamy, shiny pasta sauce. The sauce is historically tossed with a protracted pasta form resembling tonnarelli, bucatini, or spaghetti.
Cacio e Pepe Elements
Right here’s what you’ll must make this cacio e pepe recipe:
- Pasta, in fact! An extended pasta form is conventional. Bucatini is my #1 decide for this recipe, however spaghetti or linguine works too.
- Cheese – Pecorino Romano is an aged sheep’s cheese. It provides this pasta its creamy texture and distinctive salty funk. For a enjoyable variation, use a 50/50 mixture of grated pecorino and Parmesan.
- Black pepper – Not the sort from a shaker! For the punchiest taste, grind the pepper your self simply earlier than making this dish.
- And unsalted butter – My secret ingredient. The largest problem of constructing cacio e pepe is getting the cheese to soften down right into a clean sauce. For many house cooks (myself included), this may be difficult to realize utilizing solely cheese and pasta water. The butter makes this recipe a bit extra foolproof. Don’t skip it!
Discover the whole recipe with measurements under.
Learn how to Make Cacio e Pepe
You’ll find the whole recipe with measurements on the backside of this put up. For now, right here’s a fast overview of the way it goes:
- First, cook dinner the pasta in a big pot of salted boiling water.
- In the meantime, warmth the butter and pepper in a big skillet over medium warmth. Cook dinner till the butter is melted, about 30 seconds. Take away from the warmth.
- Subsequent, add the pasta to the skillet with the butter. When the pasta is al dente, scoop it instantly out of the pasta pot and into the skillet. (A spider or tongs work nicely for this.)
- Make the sauce by step by step including a number of the starchy pasta water and the cheese to the skillet. Toss till the cheese types a shiny sauce that calmly coats the pasta, including extra pasta water as wanted.
- Serve topped with extra black pepper and cheese. Yum!
Recipe Suggestions
- Grate the cheese your self. I’ve given this tip earlier than in my recipes for mac and cheese and broccoli cheddar soup. Anytime you need cheese to soften down right into a creamy sauce, it’s greatest to grate it your self. Pre-grated cheese sometimes incorporates anti-caking brokers that may forestall the cheese from forming a cohesive sauce.
- Grate it finely. Finely grating the cheese helps it soften rapidly and evenly, making it much less more likely to clump. I like to recommend utilizing a microplane zester!
- Don’t drain the pasta. Scooping the pasta instantly out of the pot implies that 1) it’ll be sizzling if you add it to the skillet and a couple of) it’ll deliver some starchy pasta water with it. Each of this stuff will make it easier to create a clean sauce. Bonus: You’ll have a complete pot of pasta water useful, so you should utilize extra as wanted.
- Serve it straight away. This cacio e pepe recipe is greatest sizzling off the range. Take pleasure in it with a giant inexperienced salad or roasted broccoli for a easy, scrumptious meal.
Extra Pasta Recipes to Attempt
In the event you love this cacio e pepe recipe, attempt one among these easy pastas subsequent:
Cacio e Pepe
Serves 3 to 4
Cacio e pepe is a traditional Roman pasta. Its shiny sauce consists of two major substances: black pepper and Pecorino Romano cheese. The standard dish could be difficult to organize, so I add a bit of butter to my recipe to assist the sauce come collectively. It is easy and scrumptious!
- 8 ounces bucatini pasta
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon freshly floor coarse black pepper, plus extra for serving
- 2 ounces finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, about 1 cup, plus extra for serving
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Deliver a big pot of salted water to a boil. Put together the pasta in accordance with the bundle directions, cooking till al dente.
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In the meantime, warmth a big skillet (a 10-inch nonstick pan works nicely) over medium warmth. Add the butter and pepper and cook dinner for 30 seconds, or till the butter is melted. Take away the pan from the warmth.
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When the pasta is simply al dente, use tongs to switch it instantly from the pot to the skillet with the butter combination. Add ⅓ cup pasta water and toss to mix. Add half the cheese and toss to coat. Add the remaining cheese and proceed tossing till the cheese types a shiny sauce that calmly coats the pasta. If wanted, add just a few extra tablespoons of pasta water as you toss to assist the cheese soften right into a clean, creamy sauce.
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Serve instantly, topped with extra freshly floor black pepper and cheese.
