My favorite cacio e pepe recipe is easy to make in about 30 minutes with just 4 simple ingredients.

Anthony Bourdain once said that cacio e pepe “could be the greatest thing in the history of the world.”

And I have to say, I wholeheartedly agree. ♡

This classic Roman pasta easily ranks up there as one of our family’s all-time favorite comfort foods. We cook up a batch of cacio e pepe at least once or twice a month, often turning to it in a pinch because we make it a point to keep the three main ingredients — “cacio” (cheese), “pepe” (black pepper), and pasta (we usually opt for bucatini) — always stocked in our kitchen. Barclay’s usually in charge of grating up a big pile of cheese while I make a big green salad or some roasted veggies to go on the side. Then once the pasta is ready to go and tossed with that irresistibly glossy cheese and pepper sauce, we always waste zero time dishing it up and grabbing a fork and diving in. There’s nothing better than a steaming hot bowl of cacio e pepe!

That said, as simple as the cacio e pepe ingredient list may be, this dish is famously finicky when it comes to technique. If the cheese is overheated or the starchy pasta water isn’t emulsified properly, the sauce can turn into a sticky, clumpy mess, which I can vouch from experience is always such a tragedy. So this week, while we are revisiting the four classic Roman pasta recipes, I went in and updated this post with all of the best tips for cacio e pepe success that I’ve learned over the years. We also added in a new video below that will hopefully provide some visuals to help clarify each step of the process. And we also now have a pronunciation guide, so that all of us non-Italians can give the name of the dish the proper respect it deserves.

I do want to note that I prefer to add a bit of butter to my cacio e pepe, which I’m well aware is not authentically included in traditional cacio e pepe, and makes this more similar to Roman-style Alfredo. However, after having made and ordered this dish dozens and dozens of times both with and without butter, I’ve decided that I just really love the extra hint of flavor that it adds. You’re welcome to include butter or leave it out, so I’ve included instructions for both options below.

Alright, let’s make some cacio e pepe together!

Cacio e Pepe Recipe | 1-Minute Video

Cacio e Pepe Ingredients

Here are a few notes about the cacio e pepe ingredients that you will need for this recipe:

• Pasta: Thick spaghetti, bucatini, or tonnarelli are the three pasta shapes most often traditionally used when making cacio e pepe, but this recipe will work with just about any pasta shape you happen to have on hand. I recommend using bronze-cut pasta, if possible, since the rougher edges will help the cacio e pepe sauce better adhere to the pasta.
• Pecorino Romano: This aged sheep’s cheese is always traditionally used in the Roman pastas, and its salty, grassy, earthy flavor is absolutely delicious in cacio e pepe. That said, during one of my cooking classes in Rome, my professor swore by using a 50/50 blend of Pecorino and Parmigiano (Parmesan), which I’ve also tried and agree is delicious.
• Butter: Yes!! I know this is a controversial and certainly a non-traditional ingredient in cacio e pepe, which is typically made with only cheese and pepper. But as mentioned above, I’ve made this dish dozens of times both ways and have decided I simply prefer it with a bit of butter. You’re completely welcome to omit the butter though and just add some more starchy pasta water in its place.
• Black pepper: It’s very important to freshly ground the black pepper to give this recipe optimum flavor, so grab your pepper mill instead of the pre-ground black pepper you can buy at the store. I definitely prefer my cacio e pepe heavy on the “pepe” (black pepper), but know that many people are sensitive to black pepper, so please feel free to use however much you prefer to taste. Also please note that the recipe calls for coarsely-ground black pepper. If you only have finely-ground black pepper on hand, you will need to use less.

Cacio e Pepe Tips & Troubleshooting

Before we get to the full cacio e pepe recipe below, here are a few tips to keep in mind when making this pasta:

• Read through the recipe first. This recipe is not difficult to make, but it does require a bit of multitasking that goes very quickly once you begin cooking the pasta. So I recommend taking a few minutes to read the entire recipe fully before you begin cooking.
• Finely-grate the cheese by hand. As always, it’s important to grate the cheese by hand versus buying pre-grated cheese at the store (which usually contains anti-caking agents that prevent the cheese from melting smoothly). I recommend using a microplane or your preferred grater to finely grate the cheese just before adding it to the recipe.
• Be sure to use a large enough sauté pan. You are going to need ample room to toss the pasta when combining it with the sauce, so it’s important to use a large pan or stockpot that has plenty of space.
• Have a strainer or tongs ready to go. I find it’s much easier to use a spider strainer (or tongs, if using long noodles) to transfer the pasta directly from the stockpot to the sauté pan. But if you do not own either of those, you can use a heatproof cup to scoop out a few cups of the starchy water (it’s always good to reserve more than you need, just in case). Then you can drain the pasta in a colander and transfer it immediately to the sauté pan.
• Don’t use too much pasta water. We want the starches in the pasta water to be very concentrated for this recipe, which will later help to emulsify the cheese sauce and adhere it to the pasta. So I recommend filling your stockpot no more than half full (about 3 quarts).
• Don’t overcook the pasta. In Italy, it’s very important that the pasta is served al dente so that it still has a nice firm bite to it. Since the pasta will continue cooking slightly while it is tossed with the sauce, it’s important to keep a close eye on the pasta during the final few minutes of cooking so that you can transfer it over as *soon* as it just barely reaches al dente.
• Don’t overheat the sauce. If you’ve ever had the cheese clump up or stick to the pan when making cacio e pepe (very common, but always such a tragedy!), it was likely due to the cheese being overheated. Be absolutely sure that the burner is turned off below the sauté pan with the melted butter. (If you have an electric stove, it’s best to transfer the pan to a cool burner since the original will still retain heat.) And toss the pasta continuously after you add in the cheese so that it can be exposed to cooler air and not overheat while sitting still in the pan.
• Serve immediately. This pasta is definitely best served immediately hot out of the pan, so dish it up as soon as the sauce has emulsified and enjoy!

Cacio e Pepe FAQ

How do you pronounce “cacio e pepe?” The correct cacio e pepe pronunciation in Italian is: “KA-choh eh PEH-peh.”

What does “cacio e pepe” mean? It means “cheese and pepper,” referencing the Pecorino cheese and black pepper used to make the sauce.

Where did cacio e pepe originate? The exact origins and evolution of the dish are controversial among historians, as all of the Roman pastas tend to be. Some believe cacio e pepe “first appeared centuries ago among shepherds spending the spring and summer months in the grazing meadows of the Apennine Mountains, which traverse the Italian peninsula. While keeping watch over their flocks, shepherds would tap into personal stores of dried pasta and pepper; cheap, easy to transport and resistant to spoilage, these two ingredients were combined with the cheese (made from milk of the herders’ flocks) to make a delicious, simple dish that kept them warm on cold evenings.” That said, some modern historians believe the origins of cacio e pepe may have been less romantic, likely developing “in the mines and factories that once surrounded the Lazio region encompassing Rome, near where low-income families once lived.”¹

How do I prevent the cheese from clumping or sticking to the pan? This dish is famously finicky and prone to clumping if the cheese sauce does not properly emulsify. As mentioned above, always always finely grate the cheese by hand versus purchasing pre-grated cheese at the store. Be absolutely sure that the sauté pan with the butter has been removed from the heat (or a still-hot burner) before adding the pasta. Be sure to toss the pasta quickly and constantly once you begin adding the cheese. Then as soon as the cheese begins to emulsify and melt into a glossy, smooth, dreamy sauce, serve the pasta immediately. This pasta is always best served hot out of the pan.

The 4 Roman Pastas

Interested in trying out all four of the classic Roman pastas? These traditional recipes won’t let you down!

• Cacio e Pepe
• Carbonara
• Gricia
• Amatriciana

• Author: Ali
•  Prep Time: 10 minutes
•  Cook Time: 20 minutes
•  Total Time: 30 minutes
•  Yield: 2 to 3 servings 1x

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Description

This cacio e pepe recipe is easy to make in about 30 minutes with just 4 simple ingredients. Feel free to double the recipe if you would like to use a full package of pasta!

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Ingredients

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• 8 ounces uncooked pasta (I recommend bucatini)
• 2 tablespoons butter, diced into 1-tablespoon chunks*
• 1 teaspoon freshly-ground coarse black pepper*
• 2 ounces finely-grated Pecorino-Romano cheese

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Instructions

1. Boil the pasta water. Fill a large stockpot about halfway full of water (roughly 3 quarts) and bring it to a rolling boil. Generously season the water with fine sea salt (about 2 tablespoons).
2. Bloom the pepper. Meanwhile, as the pasta water heats, melt the butter in a large sauté pan (preferably nonstick) over medium heat. Add the pepper and let it cook for 30 seconds, then turn off the heat. If you have an electric stove, you’ll want to remove the pan from the hot burner entirely.
3. Cook the pasta. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is just barely al dente.
4. Toss the pasta. Use tongs* to quickly transfer the pasta directly to the sauté pan with the melted butter and pepper. Add 1/3 cup of the starchy pasta water to the pan and toss the pasta briefly to combine. Add in half of the cheese and toss the pasta briefly to coat. Add in the remaining half of the cheese and continue tossing the pasta, adding in a few extra tablespoons of starchy pasta water if needed to thin out the sauce, until the cheese is melted and forms a smooth and glossy sauce.
5. Serve. Serve the pasta immediately, garnished with an extra twist of black pepper and/or extra Pecorino if desired. This pasta is definitely best served hot out of the pan, so please enjoy it right away!

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Notes

Butter: Feel free to use less butter, if you prefer. Or you can also omit the butter entirely and just use extra starchy pasta water in its place, which is the traditional way to make cacio e pepe.

Black pepper: I like my cacio e pepe heavy on the “pepe” (black pepper) and always add extra as a garnish. If you are sensitive to black pepper, however, you may want to use less than the recipe suggests. Also please note that the 1 teaspoon measurement is for coarsely-ground black pepper. (So if you are using finely-ground pepper, you will need to use less.)

Tong alternatives: If using a shorter pasta shape (such as rigatoni), I recommend transferring the pasta with a spider strainer instead. Or if you do not own either, you can scoop out a few cups of the starchy pasta water and reserve the water in a heat-safe bowl, then drain the rest of the pasta in a colander and transfer it to the sauté pan.

Recipe edit: This recipe was edited in 2022 to include 2 instead of 3 tablespoons of butter, and the instructions were updated and clarified as well.

Sometimes all you want at the end of the day is a simple cheese pizza. This recipe turns simple into sublime with the addition of an exceptional pizza dough, low-moisture mozzarella cheese, and an easy to make tomato sauce that hits all of the right sweet and savory notes to marry all of the flavors in this pie. A simple garnish of fresh herbs, and you’ve got perfection on a plate.

Active Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins

Servings: 1

Ingredients

• 1 ball Artisan Pizza Dough
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• Semolina flour, for dusting
• 1/4 cup Basic Pizza Sauce (recipe follows)
• 3 ounces shredded low-moisture mozzarella
• Fresh basil or oregano leaves, for garnishing

Directions

1. Let chilled covered dough stand at room temperature until dough is cool (not cold) and a fingerprint remains when dough is pressed, 1 to 2 hours. Transfer 1 dough ball to a heavily floured surface. Using floured fingertips, firmly press all over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border.
2. If cooking in your home oven, preheat to 500°F with a baking steel or large round cast-iron pizza pan (such as Lodge 15-inch) on middle rack. Let pan preheat in oven for about 30 minutes. If using an outdoor pizza oven, preheat pizza oven and pizza stone according to manufacturer’s instructions on high 20 minutes. (Note: Cooking with wood takes more experience to control the heat, so we’ve only included instructions for gas oven cooking here.)
3. Form a C-shape with the outer edge of your hand, and press firmly inside dough border to define a 1/2-inch wide ring around edge of dough. Lift dough onto the knuckles of both hands, and gently stretch, rotating dough after each stretch to maintain its round shape. Continue gently stretching dough, allowing gravity to help it expand, until a 10-inch circle of even thickness forms, with a slightly thicker outer ring. Lay dough round on a semolina-dusted pizza peel, reshaping as needed to form a circle. Spread dough round with Basic Pizza Sauce. Top with shredded mozzarella.
4. Gently shake pizza peel with prepared pie to loosen. If pizza feels stuck in any areas, carefully lift pizza edge with a bench scraper, and dust peel with a 1:1 mixture of semolina and bread flour. Unload pizza onto preheated pan in home oven, or onto stone in outdoor pizza oven using quick, decisive movements: Set the peel edge on the pan at about a 20-degree angle, and quickly pull back peel to slide half of the pizza onto the pan. Gently shake the peel side to side while pulling it back to slide the rest of the pizza onto the pan, allowing it to stretch slightly.
5. If baking in a home oven, bake at 500°F until edges of crust have puffed slightly, about 3 minutes. Rotate pan 90 degrees, and increase oven temperature to broil. Broil until pizza is cooked through and crust is browned, 3 to 6 minutes. If baking in an outdoor pizza oven, cook pizza, using peel to rotate pizza 90 degrees every 20 to 30 seconds, until cooked through and crust is risen and charred in spots, 2 to 4 minutes.
6. Using peel, transfer pizza to a cutting board. Garnish with fresh basil or oregano, if desired, and cut into wedges.

Basic Pizza Sauce

Simple is best when it comes to tomato sauce. In our many rounds of testing, we tried cooked, raw, canned, and jarred tomato sauces and found the best flavor came from a raw sauce based on Muir Glen Organic Tomato Sauce. Open the can, grate in a little garlic, add a glug of olive oil, and stir in some fresh oregano, salt, and pepper. Spooned onto dough, it has bright acid and sweet-savory flavor that’s the star of a cheese pizza and lets other toppings shine.

• 1 (15-oz.) can Muir Glen; Organic Tomato Sauce

• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 medium garlic cloves, grated on a Microplane

• 1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano

• 3/4 tsp. fine sea salt

• 1/4 tsp. black pepper

• Stir together all ingredients in a bowl. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.

If you’re looking for a homemade pizza crust recipe that’s great for beginners, you’re in luck. This top-rated recipe is super easy to throw together on a whim – and it puts the store-bought stuff to shame. Learn how to make the best pizza crust of your life with just a few ingredients, find out how to shape the dough, and get our best storage secrets.

Pizza Crust Ingredients

You need just five ingredients (plus some warm water) to make this super simple pizza crust.

Yeast
Active dry yeast is a leavening agent, which means it’s the ingredient that causes the pizza dough to rise.

Sugar
To activate your yeast, you’ll need to dissolve it in warm water with a teaspoon of sugar. The sugar gives the yeast something to eat and speeds up the activation process. You’ll know your yeast is active when it becomes bubbly and frothy on top.

Bread Flour
Bread flour is ideal for pizza crust becauseit creates chewier results than all-purpose flour. This is because it contains more protein, which helps produce lots of gluten. Gluten is what gives the crust elasticity.

Olive Oil
Olive oil serves a couple purposes when it comes to pizza crust: Not only does it add color and flavor, but it creates a barrier between the oil and water. This oily barrier prevents sogginess.

Salt
A little bit of salt goes a long way. Salt adds flavor, strengthens the gluten (creating a chewier crust), and slows down fermentation (resulting in a better rise).

How to Roll Out Pizza Dough

Stretching pizza dough is the most hands-on part of the pizza crust-making process. It takes a little practice, but it’s as easy as pie (pun intended). To shape the dough:

Let the Dough Come to Room Temperature

After you’re finished mixing the ingredients, allow your dough to rest on the counter for about 5 minutes. This will allow the gluten to relax, making the dough much easier to stretch and shape.

Prepare Your Surface With Oil

You might feel inclined to prep your workspace with a big handful of flour to prevent sticking. This is a helpful step with many kinds of dough. However, in this case, too much flour can make your pizza crust tough. Instead, rub your surface (and your hands) with a few tablespoons of olive oil and maybe a little bit of flour. This will prevent sticking, encourage a crispy texture, and ensure a gorgeous golden color.

Shape the Dough

You have a few options when it comes to shaping the dough. Stretch it in the air, use a rolling pin, or pat it with your hands. No matter which method you choose, make sure not to overwork the dough. Working it too much will create a tough texture. When you’re done, you should have an even circle that’s about 10 to 12 inches wide and about ⅓-inch thick. If you get too thin, the crust may not be able to support the sauce and toppings.

How Long Does Pizza Dough Last In the Fridge?

This pizza dough will last for about five days in the fridge. Store it in an airtight storage container or a bowl tightly covered with storage wrap. Allow the refrigerated dough to sit for about 30 minutes at room temperature before using.

Can You Freeze Pizza Dough?

Yes! You can absolutely freeze pizza dough. This is a great option for people who make pizza often. Prepare the dough for freezing by rolling it into a ball and lightly coating it with oil. Place the ball in a freezer-safe container labeled with the date. Freeze for about three months.

To thaw the dough, simply transfer it to the fridge the night before you plan to use it.

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 2 ½ cups bread flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Gather all ingredients. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C), and lightly grease a pizza pan.
   
2. Place warm water in a bowl; add yeast and sugar. Mix and let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
3. Add flour, oil, and salt to the yeast mixture; beat until smooth. You can do this by hand or use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook to make it easier.
4. Let rest for 5 minutes.
5. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a 12-inch circle.
6. Transfer to the prepared pizza pan.
7. Spread crust with sauce and toppings of your choice.
8. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.