This cacio e pepe style sauce comes together super quickly and with the addition of salty olives, fresh basil and lemon zest it is a flavour bomb! I use a butter base which is slightly controversial for cacio e pepe purists but it is what I prefer and it tastes so good.

Hello! I posted a photo of this meal on my instagram and it got a lot of love. I briefly described how to make it in the caption but honestly, it is so delicious it deserves a full recipe! It really is the most delicious sauce, it has everything you need. The cacio e pepe base is obviously already a peppery treat but then adding olives takes it to another level. It is so so flavoursome and the fresh basil and lemon zest add some much needed freshness.

I think my favourite thing about cacio e pepe is it is such a great base to add any other flavours to. That is what I love about pasta! Have a look in the fridge and there will be something you can add in to make it special and delicious.

What pasta is best with this sauce?

With this kind of sauce, it needs quite a bit of agitation in the pan at the end. This means you need to use a pasta that is quite robust and won't break apart easily. Cacio e pepe is traditionally made with a hand rolled pici pasta so check out my guide to make that as it is amazing! You could also try my hand rolled gnocchi sardi or orecchiette.

My cacio e pepe method involves letting the cheese melt on top of the pasta before spinning it around and around with tongs. A long shape is best for this! Dried spaghetti is perfect.

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Steps to making this cacio e pepe style sauce

Get a pot of well salted water boiling. When you add your pasta to the water depends on if you are using fresh or dried pasta. You will get used to the timing! I always use fresh so that means it will only take a few minutes to cook so I add my pasta to the water when the butter is just melting.
Melt the butter with the pepper in a frying pan that is big enough to hold all the pasta in.
When the butter is sizzling, turn the heat down to low and then add in some pasta water. This is where you need to be whisking quite vigorously to emulsify the water into the butter and thicken it slightly.
The pasta goes straight into the sauce and then it's all about the cheese! Sprinkle the cheese on then agitate and and toss the pan to get the cheese melting through.
The olives and basil are added at the end then it's topped with the lemon zest.

My biggest tips!

Grate your cheese by chopping it into cubes then putting in a food processor (I use a magic bullet smoothie maker) it creates tiny crumbs and I find they melt into the sauce much easier.
Never drain your pasta! I transfer my pasta straight from the water into the sauce then the pot of pasta water it sitting right there if you need to add more.
Loosen the sauce as needed with more pasta water, just add a little bit at a time, toss around and let it thicken. Pasta soaks up sauce really quickly so always make sure it is really saucy so by the time you serve there is still lots left!
Heat your plates or bowls! Pasta cools down quick so having heated plates is really key. I pop them in a warm oven for 10 mins or so.

Made this recipe and loved it?

I would love it so much if you could leave a review down below! Also please tag me or send me a photo on instagram it seriously makes me day seeing your creations! Feel free to get in touch any time to ask me questions, I love chatting pasta with you!

Recipe

Cacio e pepe with olives and basil

5 from 10 votes

Author: Emilie Pullar

Prep time:10

Cook Time:10

Servings: 2 people

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A simple cacio e pepe style sauce with the addition of olives, fresh basil and lemon zest. The sauce comes together so quickly and will pair with any pasta, fresh or dried.

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Ingredients

200 grams dried pasta or 300 grams fresh
80 g butter you can use unsalted or salted but it is already quite salty with the olives
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper use more if you want!
80 g parmesan or a split of parmesan and pecorino finely grated
⅔ cup pitted olives roughly chopped (I use Kalamata olives)
1 cup fresh basil leaves torn
Zest of one lemon
Extra parmesan to serve

Instructions

Get a pot of well salted water boiling and depending on whether you are using fresh or dried will dictate when you add the pasta to the water. The sauce only takes a few minutes to bring together. Alternatively cook your pasta first, reserving a cup of pasta water before draining.
Melt your butter over medium - high heat and add the pepper.
Let it sizzle together for a minute then turn down the heat to low.
Add 2 cup pasta water and whisk vigorously to emulsify, let it bubble gently for a 1-2 minutes to thicken.
Keep agitating the pan and whisking until it thickens slightly.
Add your cooked pasta into the pan and toss then spread out in an even layer.
Lower your heat to the lowest possible and add your grated cheese on top of the pasta.
Let it gently melt on top for 1 - 2 minutes (doesn't need to completely melt) undisturbed then spin the pasta around and around, moving it constantly until a silky sauce apperas.
Spaghetti or any other long shape is the easiest to do this with!
Add the olives and most of the basil (reserve some for the top), give it another good toss and add some more pasta water if you need to loosen the sauce slightly. It should be glossy and thickened.
Divide between heated bowls and top with the reserved fresh basil, lemon zest and extra parmesan.

Notes

I have found after a lot of trial and error that the best way to prepare the cheese is using a smoothie maker or small food processor. The blade makes such easy work of it and it creates little crumbs of cheese that seem to melt really easily.
Head over to my original cacio e pepe recipe to watch a video of incorporating the cheese it will really help!
If you use salted butter this might air on the side of too salty for you. I personally like my pasta dishes on the salty side so I don't mind it but use unsalted if you want to be safe!

Author: Emilie Pullar

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Course: Vegetarian

Cuisine: Italian Inspired

Keyword: basil, cacio e pepe, olives

Did you make this recipe?Tag @burntbuttertable on Instagram so we can see! Also please leave a review down below, it means the world!