Cacio e Pepe
If you've got spaghetti or tonnarelli and pecorino romano, you're most of the way to this Italian dish: about 50 minutes of cooking across 6 steps. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 6 steps.
You'll mainly reach for pan and saucepan. At easy difficulty across 6 steps, it's a good one for a busy evening.
What you'll need
Shopping list (2)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: not verified. We could not confirm tonnarelli from the ingredient list, so we make no dietary claim for this recipe.
Contains: Gluten Dairy
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Bring a moderate amount of water to the boil and salt it lightly, since the starchy cooking water is essential and the pecorino is already very salty.
- Toast the cracked peppercorns in a wide dry pan over medium heat for about a minute until fragrant, then add a ladle of pasta water and let it bubble.
- Cook the pasta until just shy of al dente, reserving a couple of mugs of the starchy water before draining.
- Finely grate the pecorino and, in a separate bowl, whisk it with a little warm (not boiling) pasta water into a smooth, lump-free cream.
- Transfer the drained pasta into the peppery pan with a splash more water and toss vigorously over low heat for a minute to coat.
- Take the pan off the heat, pour in the pecorino cream, and toss continuously, loosening with extra water as needed, until a glossy clinging sauce forms; serve immediately with more pepper.
You'll use: Pan · Saucepan · Whisk
What to serve with Cacio e Pepe
- Spaghetti Bolognese Beef
- Spicy Arrabiata Penne Vegetarian
- Vegan Lasagna Vegan
- Mediterranean Pasta Salad Seafood
Tips & common questions
How long does Cacio e Pepe take to make?
About 50 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 4 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Cacio e Pepe suitable for my diet?
We make no dietary claim for this recipe: at least one ingredient could not be resolved to a definite plant or animal source, so labelling it either way would be a guess. The full ingredient list is above.
Related recipes
Original recipe — developed in-house by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Cacio e Pepe is an original Italian recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Spaghetti cacio e pepe.jpg by DC, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.