Asian Cuisine
Simple Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe with Black Pepper Cream
Prep
5 min
Cook
15 min
Servings
2
Level
Medium
Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe (Italian cheese and black pepper pasta) is a classic Italian pasta that needs just three main ingredients but tastes incredibly savory and creamy without any cream at all. The secret lies in the starchy pasta cooking water, which helps the cheese and black pepper sauce come together into a smooth coating that clings to every strand of spaghetti. Perfect as a go-to dish when your fridge is empty but you're still craving something delicious.
🧂 Ingredients
🍽️ Servings: 2
Adjust the servings and the ingredient amounts & nutrition below update automatically.
- 250 grams spaghetti
- 100 grams pecorino or parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1.5 tsp whole black peppercorns, toasted then coarsely crushed
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- to taste salt
- 200 ml pasta cooking water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
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👩🍳 Instructions
- 1 Boil the spaghetti in lightly salted boiling water until al dente, about 9-10 minutes. Before draining, scoop out and set aside 200 ml of the pasta cooking water.
- 2 Heat a pan over low heat, add the crushed black pepper, and toast briefly until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- 3 Add the butter and a little pasta water to the pan, stirring until the butter melts and everything is well combined.
- 4 Add the drained spaghetti to the pan, tossing quickly with tongs while gradually pouring in more pasta water.
- 5 Turn off the heat, then sprinkle in the grated cheese little by little while continuously tossing quickly so the cheese doesn't clump and melts perfectly into a creamy sauce.
- 6 Add the olive oil and toss until well combined. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit more pasta water until you reach the right consistency.
- 7 Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve immediately while warm, topped with extra grated cheese and black pepper.
💡 Tips
• Turn off the heat before adding the cheese so it doesn't clump or break — this is the key to a silky-smooth cacio e pepe.
• Use cheese freshly grated from a block rather than pre-shredded cheese, since it melts more smoothly.
• Don't throw away the pasta cooking water — its starch content acts as a natural thickener for the sauce.
• Toast the black pepper before cooking to bring out a sharper, more fragrant aroma.
📊 Nutrition Facts / serving
430
Calories (kcal)
16 g
Protein
14 g
Fat
58 g
Carbs
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