Cacio e pepe (cheese and pepper) is a super simple Roman dish that can be a challenge, but our step by step photos will show you how to make one of the most comforting Italian pasta dishes with confidence. The best part about making this classic is the more you practice, the better you'll get. Get ready to carbo-load for this one!
When we make bucatani cacio e pepe we often gather around the kitchen island and eat it right away before the pasta dries out and the creamy consistency is lost.
This is not a dish to order out, bring home leftovers, and microwave the next day.
Like spaghetti carbonara and linguine al limone it is meant to be enjoyed, and devoured immediately!
There are a lot of recipes online adding chicken, veggies, and who knows what else, but for this dish, we favor the original recipe consisting of salty Pecorino Romano, coarse black pepper, and a touch of starchy pasta water. It's easier too since you only need a few ingredients.
What type of cheese for cacio e pepe?
Pecorino Romano is the traditional cheese to use and though this can be a matter of personal taste, it really shouldn't be messed with.
The sharp salty bite of Pecorino Romano makes for the perfect cacio e pepe. The Locatelli brand of Pecorino (picture below) is more expensive than others but worth it if you can find it.
If you choose to use parmesan instead (my wife often requests I make it with Parmigiano Reggiano) a touch of extra salt might be required.
Use what you like though, as ultimately your preference should always outweigh mine!
About the pepper
The pepper (pepe) is really nice when it's coarse. Use a coarse grinder or wrap whole peppercorns in a few paper towels and crush them on a cutting board with the flat side of a meat mallet.
Initially, the pepper can be pan-roasted to bring out even more flavor prior to tossing in the pasta and cheese.
Step by step process
- Cook 1 pound of bucatini until 'al dente' in salted water, reserving the pasta water. Tip - Use less water to boil than usual to achieve starchier water. This will help in making the sauce creamier. Begin by grating 2 cups of Pecorino Romano cheese on the finest setting. Alternatively, use pre-grated fine Pecorino Romano.
- Heat a large pan on medium heat with 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Add 2 teaspoons of coarse black pepper to the oil and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add 1 cup of the reserved starchy pasta water.
- Let it cook for a minute.
- Add the pasta to the pan and toss to coat. Turn off the heat.
- Slowly add 1 ½ cups of Pecorino Romano and start stirring immediately with a wooden spoon.
- Keep stirring until the cacio e pepe is real creamy and the cheese is melted smooth. Add 1-2 tablespoons of extra cooled-down pasta water at a time to loosen the sauce up if required.
- Hit the pasta up with a touch more pepper, taste test and adjust salt if necessary. Plate immediately or just eat it out of the pan.
Serve with more pepper and extra Pecorino Romano.
Alternative method
Instead of cooking it in the pan, you can mix the cheese, pepper, and pasta water in a bowl to form a sauce slurry. Basically, in the exact same manner one would make fettuccine alfredo.
You can even use some cold tap water.
Colder water prevents the cheese from clumping. Add the pasta to the bowl and stir quickly. Either way works well, but the bowl method might be a bit easier.
Clumps will sometimes form in the cheese, and though your cacio e pepe will still be delicious, it might lack that creamy texture that is so desired.
Don't fret. You will get the hang of this one after a few tries and still might get a perfect result right away!
Don't feel like you have to use any particular pasta shape. Look at this calamarata version below.
My kids like this shape the most. It was a tad creamier too!
The pepper was made extra coarse with the meat mallet trick, plus I wanted a good pic for Instagram.
We love the pepper this way! If you don't, simply use a finer grind.
If you like this pasta shape check out this paccheri pasta with butter beans recipe, which uses a similar but larger shape of pasta called paccheri.
What to serve with cacio e pepe
Light salads and sides such as these go well with this super hearty pasta:
- Via Carota style green salad
- Chickpea arugula salad
- Sauteed broccoli rabe with garlic and oil
- Garlic sauteed broccoli
Tips to make perfect cacio e pepe
- Turn off the heat after adding the pasta to the pan. This will slightly cool the temp prior to adding the cheese, making it more likely for the cheese to not clump up.
- Make sure to grate the cheese really fine, or buy pre-grated ultra-fine Pecorino. This will help it melt more quickly.
- Using a touch of oil helps the sauce emulsify. Some people use butter as well for this step. Neither are traditional and might trigger the authenticity police - you've been warned!
- Stir quickly with a wooden spoon as soon as the cheese hits the pasta. If you have help, have one person slowly add the cheese in while you mix quickly.
- If the pasta is too dry add 1-2 tablespoons of pasta water at a time to bring the creamy consistency right back to the bucatini cacio e pepe.
- If all else fails, ( You might have to make a couple of attempts. This is part of the fun and joy of learning to cook!) use the bowl method where the cheese, pasta water, and pepper are combined into a paste before adding the pasta back in.
More hearty Italian pasta recipes
- Bucatini with roasted delicata squash - Roasted delicata squash with parmesan and ricotta.
- Creamy garlic mushroom pasta - Mushrooms with creamy Pecorino Romano cheese sauce.
- Spaghetti Amatriciana - Classic Roman pasta made with pancetta instead of guanciale.
- Authentic Italian meatballs and Sunday sauce recipe - Hearty Sunday sauce with the most delicious beef and pork meatballs.
- Pasta con broccoli - Classic dish that's perfect for during the week.
- Italian sausage pasta - Creamy sausage pasta with pappardelle.
- Pasta alla Norma - Eggplant and rigatoni tossed with garlic tomato sauce and ricotta salata.
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Ingredients
- 1 pound bucatini pasta
- 2 cups Pecorino Romano
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Cook bucatini until 'al dente' in salted water. Reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water.
- Grate 1 ½ cups of Pecorino Romano cheese.
- Heat a large pan on medium heat and cook 3 tsp of pepper in 1 Tbsp of olive oil for 1-2 minutes. Add 1 cup of pasta water to the pan and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add the bucatini to the pan and stir to coat. After 1 minute of cooking, turn off the heat to the pan.
- Add the cheese slowly and stir to combine. Mix in a fast motion to create a creamy sauce that thoroughly coats the pasta. If too dry add 1 Tbsp of pasta water at a time to create the perfect creamy consistency.
- Taste test and adjust salt if required. Serve immediately with more pepper and Pecorino Romano. Enjoy!
Notes
- Turn off the heat after adding the pasta to the pan. This will slightly cool the temp prior to adding the cheese, making it more likely for the cheese to not clump up.
- Make sure to grate the cheese really fine, or buy pre-grated ultra fine Pecorino. This will help it melt more quickly.
- Using a touch of oil helps the sauce emulsify. Some people use butter as well for this step.
- Stir quickly with a wooden spoon as soon as the cheese hits the pasta. If you have help, have one person slowly add the cheese in while you mix quickly.
- If the pasta is too dry add 1-2 tablespoons of pasta water at a time to bring the creamy consistency right back to the bucatini cacio e pepe.
- If all else fails, ( You might have to make a couple of attempts. This is part of the fun and joy of learning to cook!) use the bowl method where the cheese, pasta water and pepper are combined into a paste before adding the pasta back in.
- Leftovers are not recommended due to sauce separation.
Made it for the first time. Read many different recipes on Pinterest and talked to a friend living in Rome. She said using butter is an American version of Cacio e Pepe but all Italian food has olive oil in it. That is why I was drawn to this recipe.
Quick easy and delicious!!!
Hi Mary Jane! Butter makes the dish a bit creamier and helps avoid the cheese clumping. But, your friend would of course know that it is not traditionally prepared that way. Thanks for the comment and glad you enjoyed it!