Cacio e Pepe: Classic Roman Cheese and Black Pepper Pasta

I have wanted to make the classic Roman pasta cacio e pepe for a long time. It’s a simple, delicious dish of cheese and black pepper tossed with spaghetti. With quality Pecorino Romano, freshly cracked black pepper, good olive oil, and a box of pasta, you can have authentic Italian comfort food on the table quickly.

My cousin came back from a trip to Rome raving about this dish: just spaghetti with cheese and pepper. She researched it, started making it at home, and found how satisfying such a minimal recipe can be. The best dishes often rely on a few excellent ingredients that harmonize perfectly—cacio e pepe is a great example.

Quality matters with dishes this simple. Pecorino Romano, a hard sheep’s milk cheese imported from Italy, is the traditional choice. Some recipes add another cheese called Cacio de Roma; if you find it, use it, but pure Pecorino Romano works beautifully on its own.

Freshly cracked black pepper and good extra virgin olive oil complete the flavor profile. Choose a high-quality spaghetti, or try tonnarelli if you can find it. The creamy sauce forms when grated cheese is emulsified with reserved pasta cooking water. While black pepper and cheese define this Roman classic, regional variations exist—Umbria sometimes adds pancetta for extra richness.

Next time you want an easy, satisfying meal, try cacio e pepe. It’s a perfect example of Italian simplicity: few ingredients, bold flavor, and quick preparation. Tutti a tavola a mangiare.

Buon appetito, Kelly

Here’s a short video of this dish—my first cooking video. Let me know what you think.

Cacio e Pepe

Serves four

Ingredients

• 1 pound spaghetti (or tonnarelli)
• 4 tablespoons good-quality extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper (coarse grind)
• 1 3/4 cups finely grated Pecorino Romano (reserve 1/4 cup for serving)

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente.
2. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Add the cracked black pepper and cook briefly until fragrant, about one to two minutes.
3. When the pasta is done, drain it while reserving about 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water. Add 3/4 cup of that water to the skillet and bring it to a boil.
4. Use tongs to transfer the pasta into the skillet. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of the grated Pecorino Romano over the pasta (or split between Pecorino and Cacio de Roma if you have both). Toss the pasta with the cheese, olive oil, and pepper until a smooth, creamy sauce forms and there are no lumps of cheese. Add more pasta water as needed to reach the desired creaminess.
5. Serve immediately, sprinkling with the reserved cheese and extra cracked black pepper to taste.

Enjoy this straightforward, timeless Roman recipe that highlights great ingredients and simple technique.