Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe (Printable)

Creamy Roman pasta with Pecorino Romano cheese and freshly cracked black pepper. Simple, elegant, and ready in 25 minutes.

# What You 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

→ Others

04 - Salt for pasta water

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until just al dente, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
02 - Meanwhile, 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 the reserved hot pasta water to the skillet with pepper and let it simmer.
04 - Add drained spaghetti to the skillet and toss to coat in the peppery water.
05 - Gradually sprinkle in the Pecorino Romano, tossing and stirring vigorously until the cheese melts and a creamy sauce forms, adding more reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky texture.
06 - Serve immediately, topped with extra Pecorino Romano and black pepper.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but you'll be eating in under half an hour.
  • The creamy sauce comes entirely from starchy pasta water and cheese, no cream needed.
  • Black pepper becomes the star instead of just a background note.
  • It's impressive enough for guests but easy enough for a quiet Tuesday night.
02 -
  • Turn off the heat before adding the cheese or it will turn into a clumpy, oily mess instead of a silky sauce.
  • The pasta water is not optional, it's the emulsifier that brings the cheese and pepper together into something cohesive and glossy.
  • Freshly grated cheese is everything; pre-grated stuff has anti-caking agents that ruin the texture.
03 -
  • Reserve more pasta water than you think you need because running out mid-toss is heartbreaking and tap water won't save you.
  • Let the skillet cool for a moment after toasting the pepper before adding the pasta water so it doesn't evaporate too fast.
  • If the sauce breaks and looks greasy, add a splash of cold water and toss hard, it usually comes back together.
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