Cacio e Pepe: Creamy Pasta With Cheese and Pepper | CookOS

Cacio e Pepe

Name: Cacio e Pepe: Creamy Pasta With Cheese and Pepper
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 8 oz bucatini pasta; 4 oz Parmesan cheese, finely grated; 2 tbsp black pepper, coarsely ground; 2 cups reserved starchy pasta water; Extra Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Cacio e Pepe is a minimal Roman pasta dish that transforms Parmesan cheese, cracked black pepper, and pasta water into a silky, creamy sauce without cream or eggs.

🌍Italian 🏷️Cacio e pepe 🏷️Pasta 🏷️Bucatini 🏷️Parmesan 🏷️Black pepper

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Total

20 min

Servings

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$13–$21

Recipe Source

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Ingredients

8 oz bucatini pasta
4 oz Parmesan cheese, finely grated
2 tbsp black pepper, coarsely ground
2 cups reserved starchy pasta water
Extra Parmesan cheese, for garnishoptional

5 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until just under al dente. Before draining, reserve at least 2 cups of the starchy pasta water.
2
While the pasta cooks, finely grate the Parmesan cheese into a medium bowl.
3
In a large skillet over medium heat, add the coarsely ground black pepper and toast until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4
Carefully pour about 1 cup of the hot, starchy pasta water into the skillet with the pepper. Bring to a simmer and let it reduce slightly.
5
Add a few tablespoons of the hot pasta water to the bowl of grated cheese and stir vigorously to create a thick paste.
6
Using tongs, transfer the al dente pasta directly from the pot to the skillet. Toss to coat the pasta in the peppery water.
7
Add the cheese paste to the skillet with the pasta.
8
Toss and stir everything together vigorously until the cheese melts and emulsifies into a creamy sauce that coats the noodles. Add more pasta water a splash at a time if needed to reach the desired consistency.
9
Serve immediately, garnished with extra grated Parmesan cheese.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Reserve at least 2 cups of starchy pasta water before draining; the starch is essential for emulsifying the sauce, not just the water itself.
Grate cheese finely by hand or food processor to prevent clumping; pre-grated cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent smooth emulsification.
Toast the coarsely ground black pepper in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding pasta to deepen its flavor and aroma.
Off-heat, whisk the grated cheese with 1 cup pasta water until smooth, then add the hot drained pasta and toss quickly, adding more pasta water by the tablespoon if the sauce seems dry.

Substitutions

Bucatini → spaghetti or tonnarelli (same cooking time and sauce-holding ability)
Pecorino Romano → Parmesan cheese (less sharp, slightly different flavor profile)
Black pepper → white pepper (milder heat, less pepper flavor—use sparingly)

Storage & make-ahead

Cacio e Pepe is best served immediately; leftovers can be refrigerated up to 1 day and gently reheated with a splash of water, though the sauce will be thicker.

Common Questions

Why does my Cacio e Pepe sauce break or become grainy?

The sauce breaks when cheese clumps from high heat. Combine cheese with reserved pasta water off-heat, add hot pasta gradually while stirring, and keep the pan warm (not boiling hot) when finishing.