Cacio e Pepe is an Italian pasta dish which means “cheese and pepper” and that is exactly what you will need for this recipe! With only a few ingredients needed, this pasta will be sure to become your next favorite weekday dinner and all you need is 20 minutes to prepare this creamy pasta dish! I love pairing this recipe with a juicy T-bone steak for some extra protein but you can eat with whatever protein you would like, or just as is!
This is an authentic Cacio e Pepe without butter or cream! It comes together in less than 30 minutes too!
I love making spaghetti Cacio e Pepe but feel free to use any long noodles you have on hand! This simple Italian pasta dish will not disappoint!
- This will probably be the easiest pasta recipe you will ever make! Three ingredients(plus pasta water) and just 20 minutes? Sounds too good to be true, but it is!
- Using fresh pecorino romano is key for this recipe! Do not use the pre-shredded cheese, it will not emulsify in the sauce because of the added starches and your dish will be clumpy! Also, make sure to finely grate it as well to help with the creaminess for your sauce. I love this grater from amazon!
- Tip: The trick to getting the sauce super creamy is to add the pasta and cheese in increments and rapidly mix with tongs during the whole process on medium heat. The cheese won’t get lumpy this way and you will be left with the richest and creamiest Cacio e Pepe!
Is Cacio e Pepe healthy?
I would say this cacio e pepe recipe is a lot healthier than your typical fettuccini alfredo or pasta carbonara you would get from a restaurant.
American restaurants tend to add a lot of sugar, cream, and butter to pasta dishes. For example, The Cheesecake Factory’s Carbonara has a whopping 2,340 calories with a 159 gams of fat! Italians will tell you that cream and butter is a no no for their authentic dishes.
All you need is pasta water and a good quality cheese to form a creamy and healthy sauce for your pasta dishes. This recipe is definitely lighter due to the lack of cream and butter and has extra protein thanks to the steak. Be sure to try it out and let me know what you think. As always, poftă bună!
Authentic Cacio e Pepe
Ingredients
- 16 oz spaghetti noodles can use bucatini, tonnarelli, or linguine
- 1/2 tbsp peppercorn (pepper)
- 1 cups pecorino romano cheese
Optional Steak
- 2-4 T-bone steaks
- 1 tbsp steak tenderizer
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, add a generous amount of salt and stir. Add in your pasta and cook 3 minutes under the asking time on the box (It will cook to a perfect al dente in the sauce). Before draining, reserve half of the water in a separate bowl.
- Grate your pecorino romano and mix with one to two ladles of the reserved pasta water. It should look like a thick paste. This will be key in making your sauce sauce. Set aside.
- Heat up a pan on low heat and lightly toast the pepper for 1-2 minutes. You want them to be fragrant and not burnt! Now add two ladles of the reserved pasta water to the pepper and stir while turning the heat up to medium.
- Now start adding the pasta and the pecorino cheese mixture in increments, mixing fast with a pair of tongs. Keep adding increments until all of your pasta and cheese is mixed together. If too thick, add another ladle of pasta water and combine until your sauce is thick and creamy with little to no lumps.
- Transfer to a plate and garnish with more cheese and pepper if you desire. Enjoy right away!
If Making Steak
- Coat both sides of your steak with steak tenderizer and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- Heat your pan to medium-high and add a couple tablespoons of butter. Sear the first side for about 7 minutes on high heat, then flip and cook for another 4 minutes for medium rare. Adjust cooking time based on your preference. Towards the end lower the heat and ladle some of the butter on top of the steak to baste it (extra flavor!).
- Top your cacio e pepe with the steak or serve on the side!
I didn’t think it was this easy! So delicious!