Easy Cacio e Pepe Recipe (perfect every time!)

Name: Easy Cacio e Pepe Recipe (perfect every time!)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 70 g butter (cubed); 2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper (see notes); 3/4 cup pasta water; 70 g cheese (finely grated, it can be all parmesan or a split of parmesan and pecorino); 200 g pasta of your choice

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THIS is the easiest cacio e pepe recipe with perfect results every time. The best tips and tricks for an insanely delicious and simple peppery sauce. I use butter in my recipe and make no apologies, I never claim to be traditional! A few simple ingredients for a 10 minute dinner. Follow my easy step by step guide for the easiest, SILKIEST cacio e pepe at home.

White plate with spaghetti in a cacio e pepe sauce. Fresh cracked black pepper on top and a fork resting into noodles.

Hello! This is my simple recipe for cacio e pepe, which simply means cheese and pepper. It's my death row dish and I love that you can make it any night of the week as the ingredients are most likely in your cupboard. I have tried so many methods and this is the one I have settled on and it is fool proof.

My recipe involves letting the cheese melt gently on top of the pasta then spinning around with tongs. If you have made my popular White Wine and Butter Pasta you will be familiar with the method! It's SO easy.

You might have seen chefs make this dish where they are magically tossing the pan while sprinkling in the cheese. It's such a hard technique to master so I have come up with an easy home cook version. No clumpy cheese here! I promise if you follow my step by step guide you can make this extremely simple dish a success at home.

Ingredients:

Pasta - Pici is the traditional pasta for this pepper sauce so check out my guide on how to make hand rolled pici pasta. It's a really easy homemade pasta shape. It will work with any type of pasta but I do recommend a long shape like spaghetti for this method.

Butter - I just prefer making cacio e pepe with butter, I know it's not traditional but it's the way I like to make it.

Pepper - Freshly cracked black peppercorns are best. I have specified 2 teaspoons but use more if you like! Hope you have a good pepper mill, it's going to get a work out!

Starchy pasta cooking water - The key to thickening the sauce. It pays to not overfill your pot of water as the starchier the water the better.

Parmesan cheese - I have used all parmesan as that is generally what I have. You could use pecorino romano cheese (more of a sharp flavor, made from sheep's milk) or a 50/50 mixture of both. Please don't buy pre-grated cheese, it's usually full of additives and won't melt as easily.

White plate with cooked orecchiette pasta and a buttery pepper sauce pooling at the bottom. A fork is piercing into a piece of pasta.

Expert tips for the perfect silky sauce

Cacio e pepe is one of the most simple pasta dishes as it has such few ingredients, but it happens to be one of the hardest to make. There are SO many methods for getting the cheese to melt into the sauce and this method will become your go to.

When made incorrectly, the cheese sauce can turn into a clumpy mess and go stringy, it won't happen with this cooking process.

The cheese

My first tip is to cut the parmesan (or pecorino) up into cubes then blend in a food processor. I use a magic bullet blender (for smoothies etc). The blade processes the cubes into a powder and I have found it the absolute best texture for making this pasta dish.
If you don't have any type of food processor then use a microplane or the star side of a box grater. It needs to be really fine.

A white bowl with powdered parmesan spilling out onto a wooden cutting board.

Cooking tips:

Use a long shape. I think spaghetti is the best pasta for this method as it's easy to spin around and around.
Don't over fill your pasta pot with water. Really starchy water is key for a silky sauce. I use a medium size saucepan and use 1.75L of water.
Undercook your pasta. If using dried pasta I like to undercook by a minute so it can finish cooking in the sauce and still be perfectly al dente.
Agitate the butter and pasta water really well. I like to use a flat whisk and I whisk with my right hand while shaking the pan back and forth with my left.
Don't use a high heat. Especially when the cheese is melting on top of the pasta, it should barely be bubbling.
Keep on spinning! Don't stop spinning the pasta around until you have a nice silky sauce, it will only take 30 seconds. You need to serve IMMEDIATELY as pasta sauces like this can dry up.

Stainless steel pan with cooked pasta in a cacio e pepe sauce.

How to make perfect cacio e pepe

The full recipe and short tutorial video (which is a MUST watch) are in the recipe card below. Cook your pasta according to package instructions but undercook by a minute. Reserve a cup of the cooking water before draining.

Melted butter and black pepper sizzling in a stainless steel fry pan.

ONE: In a large skillet over a medium heat, melt the butter and add the black pepper. Let it sizzle for a 1-2 minutes.

Pasta water being poured into the butter mixture.

TWO: Add ¾ cup cooking water and whisk it really well. It needs some vigorous agitation so don't be shy. Let it bubble away for 1-2 minutes to thicken slightly.

THREE: Add your drained pasta, toss in the sauce and arrange in a really flat even layer.

Powdered parmesan in an even layer on top of the pasta in the pan.

FOUR: Sprinkle your parmesan cheese (or pecorino) and let the cheese melt gently on top undisturbed. You want a really low heat here. Cover with a lid if need be.

FIVE: After 1 - 2 minutes the parmesan should be about half melted like this. With tongs, spin the pasta around and around for 30 seconds or until a silky emulsified sauce emerges.

Finished glossy sauce in the pan with tongs resting on top.

SIX: Serve IMMEDIATELY! I like to serve with some extra freshly cracked black pepper on top. Some lemon zest is also a lovely touch!

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A fork holding up noodles with the glossy sauce coating. Fresh black pepper on top.

Salting your pasta water correctly

If you can stomach a mouthful of your pasta water, you probably haven't salted it enough! I have learnt a lot about salting water from Samin Nosrat and her book and series Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat.

For two people I generally use about 1.75L of boiling water and I use about ¾ - 1 tablespoon of table salt. Personally, I don't want to waste fancy salt in water. Table salt is generally the saltiest of all salts so if you use something like Diamond Crystal Kosher salt or Maldon, you might need to go closer to 1.5-2 tablespoons.

Experiment with what works for your tastes. I can't stress enough the importance of salting your pasta water. It makes a HUGE difference. Remember, pasta has zero salt in it so seasoning your water is the one chance you have to add some flavour INTO the pasta.

Variations and substitutions

Cacio e pepe really is my favorite recipe so I have a couple of other recipes that use it as a base. You should add these two recipes to your list! The first is my Cacio e Pepe with Caramelized Onions and second with olives, basil and lemon. Both are a must. If you want a creamy sauce, try my Creamy Pepper Pasta Sauce.

White plate with pici pasta in a peppery sauce with caramelized onions. Pasta is twirled around a fork. — Cacio e pepe with caramelized onions

White plate with gnocchi in a cacio e pepe sauce with olives, fresh basil on top and lemon zest. Fork resting in. — Cacio e pepe with caramelized onions

Recipe FAQs

How much pasta per portion?

I always weigh pasta portions, it takes the guess work out and ensures a perfect sauce to pasta ratio. Fresh and dried pasta need different amounts. For dried pasta I allow 100 grams per person and for fresh pasta 150 grams per person.

What pasta shape it best for cacio e pepe?

Hand rolled pici pasta is the most traditional but use whatever you have in the cupboard! I recommend a long shape for this method.

How do I stop the cheese clumping together?

Like I state in recipe card, sprinkle the grated cheese on top of the pasta and let it melt gently before tossing. This is the KEY to a smooth and silky sauce.

Want some other pasta dishes to try?

If you love quick and easy pasta recipes, I have a lot! I like to think I'm the queen of butter sauces for pasta so make sure you check out my 10 minute brown butter for pasta. My new Miso Pasta Sauce has become my new favorite. For another quick weeknight meal my creamy pesto pasta is perfect.

White plate with pappardelle in a brown butter. Crisp sage on top. — Brown Butter for Pasta

White plate with fusilli pasta in a creamy miso sauce. Fresh rosemary scattered on top and a fork resting in. — Brown Butter for Pasta

Made this recipe and loved it?

I would love love LOVE if you could leave me a review down below and let me know what you thought! I love to hear any changes or adaptions you have made too. Also if you put a photo on instagram, please tag me so I can see, it makes my day!

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