Cacio e Pepe Recipe
Cacio e Pepe is a traditional Roman pasta dish, made with a creamy cheese and pepper sauce. Best of all, this classic Italian pasta requires only four ingredients and takes just 20 minutes to make. The result is an amazing creamy, cheesy and rich pasta!
Cacio e Pepe means “cheese and pepper” in Roman dialect, and it perfectly describes this easy yet luxurious pasta sauce. Commonly served with Tonnarelli, traditional thick spaghetti noodles, this recipe is a classic Italian staple, loved by everyone. For more authentic Italian pasta, check out also Pasta alla Norma (Sicilian Eggplant Pasta) and Authentic Fettuccine Alfredo.
How to Make Cacio e Pepe
Watch the full video recipe to learn how to make the best Cacio e Pepe recipe. This step-by-step tutorial simplifies the process, offering tips and tricks to guarantee perfect results every time.
Prefer the written recipe? Scroll down to the recipe box 👇
Why you’ll love this recipe
- 🧀Simple Ingredients: You only need 4 main ingredients to make this cacio e pepe sauce recipe.
- 🥣Quick to Prepare: From start to finish, you only need 20 minutes to bring this pasta dish to the table.
- 🍝Authentic: This is the Cacio e Pepe authentic recipe, the way it’s made in Roman restaurants in Italy.
- 🙌Easy to Make: Follow the easy steps described in the recipe card and in the recipe video to make it to perfection.
What is Cacio e Pepe
Cacio e Pepe is a traditional pasta dish from the Lazio region of Italy, particularly Rome. Despite its simplicity, it’s known for a rich and creamy sauce made from grated Pecorino Romano cheese, and black pepper. Typically made with Tonnarelli or spaghetti, this dish dates back to the 18th or 19th century and is believed to have originated with shepherds in central Italy.
Substitutions and Variations
- Pasta: You can use spaghetti, bucatini, linguine, or the traditional Tonnarelli. In other words, any long pasta that holds the sauce will work.
- Cheese: Pecorino Romano is traditional, but you can substitute with Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano) for a milder flavor or Grana Padano if that’s what you have on hand.
- Pepper: Freshly cracked black pepper is key, but you can use white pepper for a slightly different kick or red pepper flakes for heat.
- Garlic: A light sauté of garlic in the pasta water can add depth, though it’s definitely a departure from the classic.
- Truffle or mushrooms: For a gourmet twist, some people add shaved truffle or sautéed mushrooms.
Tips and Tricks
- When boiling the pasta, don’t use a lot of water. Use just enough water to cover the pasta. That makes the water extra starchy, which helps making extra creamy sauce.
- In traditional cacio e pepe there is no butter, and here is no need to add butter. What makes the sauce thick is the starchy pasta water and the cheese.
- Don’t skip toasting the black pepper to bring out its powerful aroma.
- Add the pasta water to the cheese a bit at a time, to avoid the cheese from separating.
- Use long dried pasta for the best result, like Spaghetti, Linguine, Tonnarelli, or Bucatini.
Best Served With
Make Ahead and Storage
I don’t recommend making this recipe ahead of time because the sauce should be made only at the last minute for the best result.
You can store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water to make the sauce creamy again.
More Pasta Recipes
Cacio e Pepe Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 7 oz (200 g) Pecorino cheese
- 1 tablespoon Peppercorns
- 10.5 oz (300 g) Pasta
- Salt
Instructions
- Grate the Cheese: Finely grate Pecorino Romano and set aside in a mixing bowl.
- Toast & Crush Pepper: Toast peppercorns in a dry pan for 2–3 minutes. Crush coarsely using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
- Boil Pasta: In a large pot, boil about 2.5–3L water with 1 tbsp salt. Use just enough water to cover pasta—this makes the water starchier. Cook pasta 2–3 minutes less than the package instructions.
- Start Sauce Base: In the same pan you used for pepper, add the crushed pepper and ½ cup pasta water. Simmer gently while pasta cooks.
- Make Cheese Paste: Mix ½ cup hot pasta water into the grated Pecorino, stirring until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- Combine Pasta & Pepper Water: Transfer pasta directly into the pepper water. Add another ½ cup pasta water and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add Cheese Off Heat: Turn off the heat. Stir in the cheese paste and toss vigorously until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy. Add more pasta water if needed.
- Serve: Plate immediately. Finish with extra Pecorino and cracked pepper if desired.
Video
Notes
- Use Pecorino Romano, not Parmesan. It’s saltier, tangier, and more traditional in Roman dishes.
- Always grate it finely for smooth melting. Chunky or shredded cheese won’t emulsify properly.
- Avoid pre-grated cheese, which usually contains anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting.
- Freshly cracked or coarsely ground black pepper is key. It should be bold and aromatic, not fine like table pepper.
- Toasting the pepper awakens its oils and flavor—don’t skip this step!
- You can adjust the amount to taste, but remember: pepper is the star here.
Nutrition
Common Questions
There are many potions. Traditionally cacao e pepe is made with thick spaghetti like bucatini. But you also can use regular spaghetti, any other king of thick spaghetti, linguine, fettucine, tagliolini, tonnarelli and more.
In all authentic Roman-Italian recipes the cheese they used to make cacio e pepe is Pecorino Romano (an Italian cheese made with sheep’s milk) and I would suggest to stick to the recipe.
If you can’t find pecorino cheese, you can try making this dish with parmesan, grana Padano or other similar cheese, but the taste will be different.
If you don’t have mortar and pestle you can use pepper grinder. Grind the pepper to a dry pan and toast for 2-3 minutes, same instructions as with peppercorns.
As an Italian I can confirm this recipe. don’t use parmesan cheese, only pecorino.