Classic Spaghetti Cacio E Pepe Recipe
If you want to eat authentic Italian food but aren't the most well-versed in the kitchen, then this recipe is for you. Recipe developer and registered dietitian nutritionist, Kristen Carli, MS, RD, brings us this recipe for classic spaghetti cacio e pepe, which comes together in under 30 minutes, but tastes like you've been working on it all day.
This dish is so incredibly simple to make, you'll be shocked. Not to mention, when we chatted with Carli about this dish, she mentioned, "My Italian nanny, who watches my 11 month old son, loves this dish, which is high praise that I do not take lightly". Again, who knew such Italian culinary excellence could be so achievable for the home cook.
Carli recommends serving this dish alongside some lighter side dishes such as oven roasted broccoli or a veggie-loaded green salad. As she points out, "You may be in need of some vegetables on your plate to balance out the richness of this dish".
Gather your ingredients for classic spaghetti cacio e pepe
To make this classic spaghetti cacio e pepe, you can start by gathering your ingredients. For this recipe, you will need spaghetti noodles, butter, black pepper, salt, and pecorino Romano cheese.
Boil the spaghetti noodles
First up, you need to boil your spaghetti noodles. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add in the noodles and cook according to the package directions. Then, once they are cooked, drain off the excess water and set the noodles aside. We will come back to them shortly.
Bloom the black pepper in the melted butter
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add in 2 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter has started to melt, you can add in the black pepper. This technique is called blooming, and it helps to bring out the flavor of the black pepper.
Add the noodles to skillet and create a buttery sauce
Lastly, you can add all the remaining ingredients together to create a rich and luxurious sauce. Add in the cooked pasta noodles to the skillet, along with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Then, add in the salt and the grated pecorino Romano cheese. Using tongs, toss all of these ingredients together until the pasta noodles are coated in the buttery sauce. If you want, you can finish the dish with a little extra garnish of black pepper and grated pecorino Romano cheese.
- 16 ounces spaghetti noodles
- ½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoon salt
- 4 ounces pecorino Romano cheese, grated
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles. Cook according to package directions, then drain and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add 2 tablespoons of butter. Once melted, add the black pepper. Stir well.
- Add the cooked pasta noodles, salt, remaining butter, and grated cheese. Using tongs, toss until the butter is melted, and the pasta is completely coated in the cheesy sauce.
- Top with additional grated cheese and black pepper.
| Calories per Serving | 637 |
| Total Fat | 20.9 g |
| Saturated Fat | 12.4 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 60.0 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 86.8 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4.1 g |
| Total Sugars | 3.3 g |
| Sodium | 414.1 mg |
| Protein | 24.1 g |
