Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe (Printer-Friendly)

Simple Roman pasta with Pecorino Romano cheese and freshly cracked black pepper creates a creamy, luxurious sauce in just 25 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz spaghetti

→ Cheese & Spices

02 - 1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated
03 - 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper, plus extra for serving

→ Aromatics

04 - Salt for pasta water

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
02 - In a large skillet over low heat, toast the black pepper for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Add approximately 1/2 cup of reserved hot pasta water to the skillet with pepper and allow to simmer gently.
04 - Add drained spaghetti to the skillet and toss to coat evenly in the peppery water.
05 - Gradually sprinkle Pecorino Romano cheese into the pasta while tossing and stirring vigorously until the cheese melts into a creamy sauce. Add additional reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky consistency.
06 - Transfer to serving dishes immediately and top with additional Pecorino Romano and freshly cracked black pepper.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It uses pantry staples but tastes like you ordered it at a fancy trattoria.
  • The creamy sauce forms without any cream, just starchy pasta water and cheese.
  • You can make it start to finish in the time it takes to boil pasta.
  • Every bite delivers that addictive salty, peppery punch that keeps you coming back.
02 -
  • Take the skillet off the heat before adding cheese or it will seize up into grainy lumps instead of melting smoothly.
  • Use only freshly grated Pecorino Romano, the pre-grated stuff has anti-caking agents that ruin the sauce.
  • If the sauce looks dry or broken, add more hot pasta water a tablespoon at a time and keep tossing.
03 -
  • Use a skillet large enough to toss the pasta freely, it makes emulsifying the sauce so much easier.
  • Crack your pepper fresh right before cooking, pre-ground loses its punch and won't give you that floral aroma.
  • Practice your tossing technique with confidence, the more you move the pasta, the creamier the sauce becomes.
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