Cacio e Pepe

5 from 1 vote

Cacio e Pepe can be made in minutes with a minimal ingredient list. This delicious dish is fast, flavorful and full of perfectly coated pasta in a creamy, black pepper cheese sauce.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: (1 cup) servings

Calories: 423kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

½ pound (8 ounces) spaghetti noodles
2 tsp salt
1½ cups freshly grated parmesan cheese (finely grated from a block is best)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2-4 tbsp salted & starchy pasta water (reserved from the boiling of the spaghetti noodles)

Instructions

In a large stock pot, filled with about 4 quarts of boiling water, add the salt. Once the salt has dissolved add the spaghetti noodles and continue to boil for another 8-9 minutes or al dente.
About a minute or so before your pasta is done boiling, add the butter and black pepper to a large skillet, on medium-low heat to toast the pepper for 30 seconds in the melted butter. Turn off the heat to the skillet.
Add the freshly grated parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons of the pasta water and vigorously stir with the back of a wooden spoon until the cheese forms a loose sauce. You can add an additional 1-2 tablespoons if needed.
When your pasta is done cooking, using a large strainer, transfer the pasta to the skillet with the cheese sauce and quickly toss to completely coat the pasta with the sauce.
Transfer your cacio e pepe pasta to a serving dish and garnish with additional freshly grated parmesan cheese and fresh cracked black pepper.

Notes

Storage:

To Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
To Reheat: Reheat in the microwave until heated through. Add a splash of water when reheating. This will help to loosen the pasta and make the sauce creamy again.

Tips:

Fresh grated cheese is a MUST in this Cacio e Pepe recipe. If you use pre-grated cheese, your sauce will by clumpy. Pre-packaged cheeses are coated with anti-clumping chemicals which inhibit them from melting beautifully.
Grate your cheese on the finest holes of your cheese grater (the small, prickly side of the box grater). Cheese that’s grated on larger holes will clump because it takes the cheese longer to melt and the larger amount of surface area allows for more clinging potential.
Use freshly cracked pepper, not the pre-ground pepper. Unlike pre-ground pepper, freshly coarsely ground pepper has not been oxidized, or exposed to oxygen, which means it has a richer flavor and tastes much better than ground pepper.
This is not a very “saucy” dish, and the cheese melts into the pasta pretty quickly. Therefore, I highly suggest serving immediately for best results. If you like it a little more saucey, you can add additional cheese and pasta water to create more sauce.

Nutrition