“There are many ways to make this classic dish of cacio e pepe and each Roman cook will show you some slightly different ways to manipulate pasta, cheese, and pepper into a wonderful, warm bowl of comfort food.” So begins this seemingly unassuming recipe for authentic cacio e pepe. But when you peruse the instructions, that’s when the magic truly begins.
The cacio e pepe pasta relies on a method known as “risotato,” so-called because it is like making a risotto. The pasta is cooked not in a pot of salted water but in a frying pan just large enough to contain the spaghetti. As the cooking water is absorbed by the pasta the liquid in the pan reduces and becomes the sauce. And that’s just in theory. Wait’ll you taste it.–David Leite
Cacio e Pepe FAQs
Yeah, we get tongue-tied sometimes, too. Here’s the phonetic pronunciation kaa·choh ee peh·pay And here’s an Italian speaking it for you.
This recipe specifically calls for cacio de Roma (literally Roman cheese). And since cacio de pepe is a quintessential Roman dish, you’d do well to find some. It’s a semi-soft sheep’s cheese from Lazio (the region of Italy that encompasses the province of Rome).
While a hard cheese won’t give you quite the same result, there are substitutions. Most of our testers were unable to find cacio de Roma without specially ordering it, so if you find yourself in the same situation, you can use pecorino Romano (a hard sheep’s milk cheese) instead. Failing that, Parmigiano-Reggiano makes an acceptable choice as well
Although it’s not traditional, our testers had success making this with linguine, bucatini, penne, and gluten-free pasta.
Cacio e Pepe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 11 1/2 ounces fresh tonnarelli or dried spaghetti
- Generous pinch salt
- 4 1/4 to 5 cups boiling water or exceptionally hot tap water
- 3 1/2 ounces cacio de Roma, finely grated [See FAQ above]
Instructions
- Grab your largest saucepan (you want it to be around 12 inches or 30 centimeters in diameter or large enough for the spaghetti to lie in a single layer) and place it over medium heat. Add the oil and pepper and heat until you can smell the heady spice of the pepper, about 2 minutes.
- Add the spaghetti to the pan along with the salt and about 2 cups (16 fluid ounces) of water. You'll want to watch out as the water may sputter when added to the hot oil. Add the remaining 2 1/4 cups (18 fluid ounces) hot water, little by little, as you would with risotto—that is to say, add a ladleful of hot water and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid is almost but not completely absorbed before adding another ladleful of water.
- Repeat until the spaghetti is al dente and the water has reduced to a soupy consistency, 8 to 10 minutes. If the pasta starts to look dry, add a little more water but no more than a total of 5 cups (40 fluid ounces).
- While the pasta is cooking, warm some bowls in a low oven. (Don't ignore this step. It helps ensure the creamy sauce clinging to the pasta doesn't turn to clumps.)
- When the pasta is ready, remove the pan from the heat and add the cheese, a little at a time, stirring furiously and constantly, until a smooth and creamy sauce forms. Serve the cacio e pepe straight away in the hot bowls.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
Wowee! I’ll be making this authentic cacio e pepe recipe again and again. Completely surprised by the easy method and the taste—both are fabulous. It’s the dish to make when you think there’s no food in the house. A few simple ingredients, paired with a glass of wine, and voilà—you have a fancy dinner!
I used pecorino Romano cheese. We had some leftovers, and they reheated okay in the microwave with a drizzle of olive oil and a quick stir after a minute or so.
To be honest, I didn’t think this easy cacio e pepe recipe would work. But it’s genius. The pasta was perfectly cooked. The sauce was super creamy and tasty. And all done in 10 minutes.
I’m in love! It took me about 8 minutes to cook the pasta, but I used fresh pasta (linguini by Bertolli ). I boiled water in the electric kettle, and in the meanwhile roasted the fresh ground pepper (I used a tricolored pepper) in the olive oil. Added the fresh pasta and a cup of boiling water. Stirred every minute or so, adding more water. After 8 minutes, the pasta was perfect. Added about 1/2 cup additional hot water and the cheese and stirred fiercely with a wooden spoon for about 30 seconds. Done.
Perfect creamy sauce, coating the pasta nicely. The cheese I used was a young Reggiano. Love it and will give it a try with carbonara. The 4 servings are accurate, especially when you use it as a pasta course in an Italian meal.
This cacio e pepe was really delicious and a breeze to put together for a quick weeknight meal with some sautéed kale on the side.
My only issue was the amount of pepper in the recipe was a little overwhelming. And I like pepper. I’d suggest perhaps starting with half the amount and adding to the finished dish to taste. I used pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated.
The timing was perfect—at 10 minutes, there was just enough liquid left in the pan to make a smooth sauce, no extra water needed. The pasta was still al dente, and when the cheese was slowly added, stirring constantly, it produced a very smooth sauce. Even as it cooled, the sauce stayed smooth.
This is a delicious and very simple pasta dish. It doesn’t mean that you don’t need to pay careful attention, though. I added about half the water at once, then added smaller amounts throughout the cooking process in order to achieve a creamy base.
I was able to find a semi-soft pecorino, although it wasn’t cacio de Roma, and it melted beautifully into the spaghetti. A nice creamy sauce was achieved, with plenty to go around for 4 plates. This is where you need to pay attention to the sauciness of the dish and add more water if need be. I am not sure how using Parmesan or regular aged pecorino would translate here, as both are much harder cheeses and don’t melt as well. I used a little more water than called for, and my actual cooking time was closer to 12 minutes.
My other concern was that perhaps 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper was not going to be enough. This was after researching other recipes that called for anywhere up to 4 tablespoons. I stuck with 1 teaspoon, and it was perfect—plenty of heat but not one person out of 4 diners thought it was too much. I served this along with a heaping bowl of charred greens—kale, chard, broccoli, and zucchini. The strong flavors of the greens really helped contrast with the quiet flavors in this dish, and I recommend this pairing!
Carbs and sauce—a basic combination that makes so many satisfying meals we love. Even better when the combo can be prepared in a flash, and this pasta dish is exactly that.
I tested this recipe twice, and cheese seems to be the defining ingredient here. I made a 50/50 blend of pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano (both hard) for the first test and used cacio de Roma (semi-soft) the second time. The latter was the clear winner for me. The sauce was remarkably creamier and the flavor was rounder—like a silky béchamel—and an excellent cushion for the abundant black pepper.
The hard cheeses worked fine, but I found them a bit too sharply salty for this dish, and the sauce wasn’t quite as smooth. Another finding: very hot tap water worked just as well as boiling water. A one-pan/one-burner dinner for four—what home cook wouldn’t love that?! Oh, absolutely do serve this with bread so none of the sauce goes to waste.
I used Barilla thick spaghetti, and the cooking time on the package was 11 minutes. It took an extra minute for the pasta to cook to al dente, probably because of the small amount of water it was cooked in (no room for the pasta to “swim” in rolling water). If I had used regular spaghetti (cooking time: 9 minutes), I suspect it would have taken 10 minutes as stated in the recipe. This recipe feeds 3 to 4 people.
In thinking about another substitute for cacio de Roma (I wasn’t crazy about the results the two hard cheeses yielded), pecorino Toscano might be a good one. I didn’t test it in this recipe, so I’m only guessing. It’s another semi-soft sheep’s milk cheese (has to be young; aged one is hard & crumbly) with a round soft flavor. It’s sold at the market where I shop, and the price is about the same as cacio de Roma.
This authentic cacio e pepe recipe transports me to Da Felice in Rome where I first tasted cacio e pepe surrounded by locals enjoying an evening out. It’s so easy and so comforting that it should be added to your repertory, immediately. I like to warm the bowls by letting them rest beside my cooking pan on the gas top. Although I have a difficult time finding cacio de Roma cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano is a lovely substitute.
For those who are gluten-free, this recipe works beautifully with gluten-free pasta, Bonta d’Italia being my favorite. Should you want a meatier, albeit not quite authentic, version try adding a bit of speck or thickly sliced prosciutto. I won’t tell.
I couldnโt resist making this dish when I read about the cooking method. Iโm very glad that I did and will remember this pasta for when we need a quick meal. An extra bonus is that you have only one pan to wash. I didnโt think that this would be a good dish to have leftovers from, given what the author said about the cheese โsetting,โ so I made half a recipe.
When I started cooking the pasta, I was unsure of how all of it would cook in the 10-inch skillet that I was using. Some of the strands of spaghetti seemed to be on the raw side after the rest of the pasta had started to soften. Stirring it fairly often took care of this problem. At the 10-minute mark, the pasta was still too toothsome and needed more cooking time. I added more boiling water, a little at a time, straight from the kettle, until the pasta was al dente. I liked doing this slowly. It gave you the opportunity to let it cook slowly and made for a very creamy sauce.
Adding the Parmigiano-Reggiano put it over the top. It reminded us ofย fettuccine Alfredo. What a delicious bowl of pasta!
Jackie, I love how you took your time with the cooking processโadding boiling water little by little is such a smart way to control texture and creaminess! Itโs great to hear that it worked so well for you.
And yes, only one pan to wash is a definite win! Smart move making a half batch to avoid leftovers, since the cheese does tend to set up over time.
I really appreciate your thoughtful approach to this dishโso glad it reminded you of fettuccine Alfredo with a twist!
This authentic cacio e pepe is good. Itโs quick, simple, and tasty.
My pasta was cooked in the pan for 13 minutes. I used a 12-inch-wide, deep sautรฉ pan to cook the pasta and make the sauce. It really is necessary to use a pan that wide, as the length of the spaghetti wonโt really fit into anything smaller without breaking, and you really want all that luscious length.
I only used 4 cups of water, and after 13 minutes, the pasta was al dente, and I started adding the cheese. I used pecorino Romano. The method is truly like making a risotto.
The sauce after all the cheese was added was a little creamy but not cloying or heavy. The taste of the ground pepper does come through very gently. This is something fast and simple enough to make for dinner on any weeknight.
I think the only change Iโd make is to finish the dish with a little chopped parsley or basil for a last-minute flavor boost. We served this with anย Italian saladย with an oil and vinegar dressing.
Helen, I appreciate how thoughtfully you approached the cooking processโusing a wide sautรฉ pan is a great tip to avoid breaking the spaghetti! And yes, the risotto-like method really does transform a few simple ingredients into something silky and satisfying.
Your idea of adding a fresh herb garnish is fantasticโit would definitely brighten up the dish right before serving. Pairing it with an Italian salad and oil & vinegar dressing sounds like the perfect complement.
Thanks for testing and sharing such useful insights!
Thank you, Renee, I really appreciate you checking on this for me. I knew it was a silly question even before I sent it, but after reading the comments I knew everyone would love it so I was hoping beyond hope someone had some little known hint I could use. Shakes fist at reality indeed ;). I should never read Leite’s Culinaria when I’m starving! I’ve come back down to earth now so I’ll keep searching for ideas. I’m sure your Thanksgiving dinner for 40 was superb.
Thanks for your understanding! We’d be happy to help in any way, just let us know. May I suggest something that’s served either cold or at room temperature? Or at the very least that has components that you can make ahead. But then, you already know all this. Anyways, let us know how we can contribute!
Thank you for the suggestions. I’m all about making as much as possible ahead but I’m just the helper so we’ll see what the people in charge think.
They’re lucky to have you, MaryAnn!