Cacio e Pepe (Spaghetti With Black Pepper and Pecorino Romano)
Pasta, black pepper, and Pecorino Romano join together to form one of the best Roman pasta dishes. Here's how to perfect it, every time.
Dish: Cacio e Pepe
Variant: Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe
Source: Cacio e Pepe (Spaghetti With Black Pepper and Pecorino Romano)
- Total time
- 20 min
- Active time
- Unknown
- Yield
- Serves 2 to 3
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Equipment
- 1 required
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Ingredients and Constraints
Ingredients
Ingredient watchpoints1 watchpoint
Short requirements and tradeoffs to check while gathering ingredients; detailed source notes stay expandable.
Pecorino Romano Cheese
2 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese (about 1 cup; 55g), very finely grated on a Microplane or the smallest holes of a box grater, plus more for serving
The source ingredient row lists alternatives.
Details and source
Acceptable alternatives: very finely grated on a Microplane; the smallest holes of a box grater; plus more for serving
Source: Cacio e Pepe (Spaghetti With Black Pepper and Pecorino Romano)
Additional ingredient notes
Required setup
Equipment
Source video
Source video
Method Timeline
Cook
ActiveCook
20 min
Source Recipe JSON-LD cookTime.
Finish
ActiveFinish
Not listed
Final serving step and finishing actions from the source directions.
Step 1
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil and about a teaspoon of black pepper in a medium skillet over medium-low heat until ingredients are fragrant and pepper is barely starting to sizzle, about 1 minute. Set aside.
1 minSkillet%3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%3Aformat(webp)%2Fspaghetti-cacio-e-pepe-recipe-step-01_1-34125238f8ef463b9620d07e9e4d354e.JPG&w=3840&q=75)
Image details3 tablespoons olive oil and about a teaspoon of black pepper in a medium stainless steel skillet over medium-low heat until ingredients are fragrant and pepper is barely starting to sizzle.Serious Eats / Julia Estrada · Cacio e Pepe (Spaghetti With Black Pepper and Pecorino Romano)Dev reference Checks1
TimingInfoTimingabout 1 minute
Target: 1 minute
Expected state: Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil and about a teaspoon of black pepper in a medium skillet over medium-low heat until ingredients are fragrant and pepper is barely starting to sizzle, about 1 minute.
Inputs and tools3
Uses
- 4 tablespoons (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
Equipment
Why and source
This step has reviewed source-backed guidance.
Step 2
Place spaghetti in a large skillet and cover with water. Season with a small pinch of salt, then bring to a boil over high heat, prodding spaghetti occasionally with a fork or wooden spoon to prevent it from clumping. Cook until spaghetti is al dente (typically about 1 minute less than the package recommends). Transfer 2 to 3 tablespoons of pasta cooking water to the skillet with the olive oil/pepper mixture. Stir in butter. Using tongs, lift spaghetti and transfer it to the oil/butter mixture.
1 minSeasonBoilCookSkillet%3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%3Aformat(webp)%2Fspaghetti-cacio-e-pepe-recipe-step-02-Collage-507a7dd6fac3474fac1d75aa9c40af1e.JPG&w=3840&q=75)
Image detailsA four-image collage. The top left image shows pasta being cooked in a scant amount of water inside of a large stainless steel skillet. The top right image shows the olive oil and pepper from step 1 having a tablespoon of starch-rich pasta cooking water being added to it. The bottom left image shows a pat of butter being stirred into the skillet containing the olive oil and water. The bottom right image shows the cooked pasta being added to the oil, water, and butter skillet, and being tossed together with a pair of metal tongs.Serious Eats / Julia Estrada · Cacio e Pepe (Spaghetti With Black Pepper and Pecorino Romano)Dev reference Checks1
TimingInfoTimingabout 1 minute
Target: 1 minute
Expected state: Cook until spaghetti is al dente (typically about 1 minute less than the package recommends).
Troubleshooting1
NoteSpaghetti clumpingStep 2Keep the spaghetti moving at first
Strands stick together as they soften.
The pasta sits undisturbed in shallow water.
Prevention
Prod the spaghetti with a fork or wooden spoon as it begins to bend.
Recovery
Separate clumps with tongs before moving the pasta into the sauce.
Inputs and tools9
Uses
- 4 tablespoons (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 pound (225g) spaghetti
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter
Equipment
Techniques
Why and source
This step has reviewed source-backed guidance.
Step 3
Add cheese and remaining tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and stir with a fork until cheese is completely melted. Add a few more tablespoons of pasta water to the skillet to adjust consistency, reheating as necessary until the sauce is creamy and coats each strand of spaghetti. Season to taste with salt and more black pepper. Serve immediately, passing extra grated cheese and black pepper at the table.
ServeSkillet%3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%3Aformat(webp)%2Fspaghetti-cacio-e-pepe-recipe-step-3-Collage-e4f40ebfa02f457487ec9706ef107846.JPG&w=3840&q=75)
Image detailsA two-image collage. The top image shows the pasta in a skillet covered in grated cheese. The bottom image shows the cheese being incorporated into the pasta with a metal fork.Serious Eats / Julia Estrada · Cacio e Pepe (Spaghetti With Black Pepper and Pecorino Romano)Dev reference Checks1
ServiceMain recipeSource service instruction
Add cheese and remaining tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and stir with a fork until cheese is completely melted. Add a few more tablespoons of pasta water to the skillet to adjust consistency, reheating as necessary until the sauce is creamy and coats each strand of spaghetti. Season to taste with salt and more black pepper. Serve immediately, passing extra grated cheese and black pepper at the table.
Troubleshooting1
CautionCheese sauce clumpsStep 3Use pasta water to loosen the cheese
The cheese forms tight clumps instead of coating the spaghetti.
The sauce is too dry or too hot when the Pecorino goes in.
Prevention
Add the cheese with starchy pasta water and stir gently until creamy.
Recovery
Add a few tablespoons of pasta water and reheat gently while stirring.
Inputs and tools7
Uses
- 4 tablespoons (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 pound (225g) spaghetti
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 2 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese (about 1 cup; 55g), very finely grated on a Microplane or the smallest holes of a box grater, plus more for serving
Equipment
Techniques
Why and source
This step has reviewed source-backed guidance.
Learn More
Extra cooking notes, tests, and source details kept out of the step-by-step method.
Testing notes
Useful tests and side-by-side notes after the method is clear.
Mastering Cacio e Pepe
The first problem is easy to fix: Just add more water to the mix.
Toasting pepper in oil also distributes its flavor more evenly throughout the dish.
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Creamy Sauce, the Easy Way
Not only is tons of water generally unnecessary, but with a dish like this that relies so heavily on the starch imparted by the pasta cooking water, cooking with a smaller volume of water is actually beneficial, as it concentrates the star
Cooking my spaghetti in a 12-inch skillet with just enough water to cover it produced pasta that was perfectly al dente, and water that was really heavy on the starch. Once the pasta is in the pan, it's a simple matter of stirring in the cheese, a little extra black pepper, and a little more olive oil until it all comes together.
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Recipe structure
Components and intermediate outputs created by the method.
Main recipe
Recipe card ingredients and steps.
Serves 2 to 3
Recipe Utilities
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Source and Origin
Origin declaration
Adapted from source
Imported from the Serious Eats page for dev review.
Copy risk: Unchecked
Cacio e Pepe (Spaghetti With Black Pepper and Pecorino Romano)
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