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Italian

Cacio e Pepe

Cacio e pepe is a Roman pasta with Pecorino Romano, toasted black pepper, and starchy pasta water worked into a creamy sauce.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 2 September 2026Updated

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Cacio e Pepe

20 mintotal

Prep 5 min · Cook 15 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Medium
Spice
Mild
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Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

No inactive time is needed; grate the cheese finely and add it off the heat so the sauce becomes smooth instead of grainy.

Method

  1. Bring the measured water to a boil. Add the measured salt and cook the pasta until just al dente.

  2. Reserve a cup of starchy pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.

  3. Toast the black pepper powder very briefly in a warm pan until aromatic.

  4. Add a small splash of reserved pasta water to the pepper pan and swirl to make a peppery base.

  5. Add the drained pasta and toss off the heat for a few seconds.

  6. Add the finely grated Pecorino Romano Cheese gradually, tossing quickly and adding small splashes of pasta water until creamy.

  7. Serve immediately before the sauce tightens.

How to tell it's done

The sauce should be creamy and cling to the pasta without cheese clumps or watery pooling.

Getting it right

Tip

A small amount of starchy pasta water is the key to turning cheese and pepper into a smooth sauce.

What to serve it with

Serve hot as a simple lunch or dinner pasta.

Common mistakes

The cheese forms clumps instead of a sauce.
Use finely grated Pecorino, cool the pan briefly off heat, and add pasta water in small splashes while tossing.

Substitutions

  • Use very finely grated cheese; coarse cheese can clump instead of melting smoothly.
  • Parmesan Cheese can be used only as a practical fallback, but Pecorino Romano Cheese gives the classic sharper flavor.
  • Keep the pan off direct heat when adding cheese to reduce clumping.

Storing and reheating

Cacio e pepe is best served at once. Refrigerate leftovers for 1 day and reheat gently with water; freezing is not recommended.