Cacio e Pepe

Name: Cacio e Pepe
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 400g Spaghetti; 120g Pecorino Romano, very finely grated; 2 tsp Pepper (Black), freshly ground from whole peppercorns; 250ml Water, reserved pasta cooking water (as needed)

Cacio e Pepe is a timeless Roman pasta that celebrates simplicity—silky strands of pasta coated in a glossy, peppery cheese sauce. With just a few ingredients and minimal hands-on time, it delivers an elegant, comforting dish perfect for weeknights or special occasions.

Cacio e Pepe is a timeless Roman pasta that celebrates simplicity—silky strands of pasta coated in a glossy, peppery cheese sauce.... Show more

Traditional Italian Recipe

Health Grade

D · Occasional

Rating

4.8

Time

20 min

Price

0,83 €

Calories

491 kcal

low calorie

few ingredients

quick

easy

Method

Grate and grind

Finely grate the Pecorino Romano and freshly grind the black pepper from whole peppercorns, measuring out 2 tsp. Keep them separate and ready to use.

Cook spaghetti

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the Spaghetti until just al dente, setting a timer for 8 minutes as your first check. Right before you drain, scoop out about 250 ml of the reserved pasta cooking water and keep it close by.

Toast pepper

While the pasta cooks, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the pepper you ground earlier and toast it for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until it smells fragrant and a little nutty.

Make cheese paste

Put the grated cheese in a bowl and whisk in a few spoonfuls of hot pasta water at a time until it becomes a thick, smooth paste.

Toss pasta

Transfer the drained spaghetti to the skillet with the toasted pepper and add a splash of reserved pasta water. Toss off the heat, then add the cheese paste a spoonful at a time, tossing constantly until the sauce turns creamy and coats every strand. If it tightens up, loosen it with a little more pasta water and keep tossing until glossy.

Serve immediately

Twirl the spaghetti into warm bowls and finish with another grind of pepper. Serve right away while the sauce is still silky and loose.

Ingredients

Method

For 4 servings

Adjust servings

400g Spaghetti
120g Pecorino Romano, very finely grated
2 tsp Pepper (Black), freshly ground from whole peppercorns
250ml Water, reserved pasta cooking water (as needed)

🧂 Plus ~3g of salt

Nutrition

Per Serving.

Calories

491 kcal

25% of Daily kcal

Protein

22 g

43% RDI

Fat

10 g

6g sat fat

Carbs

77 g

28% RDI

Sugar

4.1 g

8% RDI

Fiber

3.4 g

11% RDI

Salt

4 g

81% RDI

Quality Profile

Scored against dietary guidelines.
Tap rows for a deeper breakdown.

Composite score - weighted by current nutrition science

D · 5.0 / 10

Comments

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Ingredients

For 4 servings

Adjust servings

400g Spaghetti
120g Pecorino Romano, very finely grated
2 tsp Pepper (Black), freshly ground from whole peppercorns
250ml Water, reserved pasta cooking water (as needed)

🧂 Plus ~3g of salt

Cacio e Pepe

Method

Grate and grind

Cook spaghetti

Toast pepper

Make cheese paste

Toss pasta

Serve immediately

Ingredients

Method

Nutrition

Calories

Protein

Fat

Carbs

Sugar

Fiber

Salt

Quality Profile

Comments

Ingredients

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