Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe (Printable)

Luxurious Roman pasta with spaghetti, Pecorino Romano cheese, and freshly cracked black pepper in a silky, savory sauce.

# 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

→ Other

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 just 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.
04 - Add drained spaghetti to the skillet and toss to coat thoroughly in the peppery water.
05 - Gradually sprinkle in the Pecorino Romano while tossing and stirring vigorously until the cheese melts and creates a creamy sauce. Add more reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky consistency.
06 - Transfer to serving plates immediately and top with additional Pecorino Romano and freshly cracked black pepper.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It uses ingredients you can keep on hand and turns them into something that tastes like a special occasion.
  • The creamy sauce forms without any cream, just starchy pasta water and good cheese working together like magic.
  • You can make it start to finish in the time it takes to boil pasta, which means weeknight dinners just got a lot more interesting.
  • The sharp, peppery flavor wakes up your palate in a way that feels both comforting and exciting.
02 -
  • The first time I made this, I added the cheese over high heat and ended up with stringy, separated clumps instead of a sauce, so keep the temperature low and toss constantly.
  • Pre-grated cheese from a bag doesn't melt the same way because of the anti-caking agents, so spend the extra two minutes grating a wedge yourself.
  • If your sauce looks dry or grainy, it's begging for more pasta water, add it a tablespoon at a time while tossing until it turns glossy.
03 -
  • Use a skillet that's big enough to toss the pasta freely, a cramped pan makes it nearly impossible to create that creamy emulsion.
  • Grate your cheese on the finest holes of your grater so it melts instantly instead of sitting in chunks.
  • Finish each bowl with a drizzle of good olive oil if you want a little extra richness and shine.
  • Reheat leftovers gently with a splash of water in a skillet, never the microwave, or the sauce will separate.
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