This recipe reminds me so much of the amazing meals we ate in Rome. Full of flavor, easy to prepare, and best made with the highest quality of ingredients you can get your hands on. The good news is that there’s only 5 ingredients in this recipe, so it’s totally worth it to splurge on good cheese, pasta, and pepper – if possible. If you can only spend big on one item, I highly recommend buying the best cheese you can afford. And fresh cracked pepper! It makes all the difference. My grocery store sells the “grind-it-yourself” pepper mills for like 3 bucks, so keep an eye out 😉
Cacio e Pepe is a classic Italian dish known for its simplicity and ease. I’ve gone ahead and made this recipe even easier by transforming it into a one-pan situation. Yep! All this, and only one dirty dish. Can I hear an amen, my friends?! Cause ain’t nobody got time for mountains of dishes. Pssh.
Also, a few step by steps photos. Just because I love you!
First you want to add your oil and pepper to the pot. You’ll place the pot over medium-high, simmer until it shimmers…
then add your pasta! I used bucatini in this recipes, and highly recommend it, if you can find it. I know not all grocery stores carry it, but Barilla came out with a new line which included the thick, tube noodle, so it may be easier to find than I think.
Once your pasta is in, add your water (and a dash of salt, if you want), and boil!
Once it’s boiled for about 11 minutes, you’ll toss in the cheese (hooray!), stir like a madman, and that’s it. Dinner is done! How easy is that? xoxo
You can top this with extra cheese if you’re a hardcore cheese head (meeeee), or serve as is! Just be sure to plate it and get it out right away, as this dish is best hot from the pan 😉
One-Pan Cacio e Pepe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 1/2 cups water
- 1 pound bucatini pasta (you may sub spaghetti here if you can't find bucatini)
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
- *salt and additional pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot or dutch oven heat the oil and pepper over medium-high. Cook for 2 minutes, then add water and pasta.
- Cook on high, stirring frequently, until the only about a 1/2 cup of liquid remains; about 11 minutes.
- Add the cheese into the pasta/water mixture and stir like crazy! Cook for another 30 seconds, then remove from heat. Add more salt and pepper to taste, and serve at once! Enjoy 😉
Maria says
From a very italian family, here are a couple tips:
Pasta doesn’t cook very well when there is oil in the water (not exactly sure why, but just know that every italian grandma I know would kick me out of the famiglia for doing it), so a quick fix is just to boil the pasta first with plenty of salted water and then add the oil, pepper, and cheese at the end in order to keep it a one-pot dish, it will turn out the same :).
Second tip is to add some red pepper flakes to make it spicy! Adds a lot of flavor and depth to the dish and is a super easy addition.
Other than that, great recipe and thank you so much for posting this, definitely a favorite comfort food for many italians!
Ed says
I don’t think using a lot of water is necessary. Just put the pasta in the pot and cover with cold water and salt. Starting with cold water keeps the pasta from sticking and using less water keeps the starch in the water concentrated. Now once the pasta nears al dente, I would transfer the pasta to a bowl and use the pot to brown the butter with some salt and pepper. transfer the pasta back maybe reserving some of the pasta water in the bowl to the pot stir to coat with butter fold in grated parmesan to melt adding reserved pasta water if needed.
If you want to use one pot and don’t care about browning the butter just drain off excess pasta water into a cup in case it is needed to thin mix. Now make a well in the center to expose the bottom add butter, pepper, and salt to taste, melt, mix, and coat pasta. Finally, add grated parmesan to melt adding reserved pasta water if needed. Serve quickly before the cheese congeals.
I’ve just made this dish a few times, so far, but it is quick and tasty and easy enough for me to make.
bakerbynature says
Hi Ed. Thank you for your tips and comment. There are definitely a ton of ways to play around with this recipe 😉 I just hate dirty dishes so one-pan is my thing! xo
Nancy says
This looks awesome! What kind of parmeasan cheese did you use? Shredded or something else? Thanks so much!
Paula says
I was wondering the same thing. From the pictures thought it looks like grated parmesan like you buy in the canister.
bakerbynature says
Hi Paula. I freshly grate high quality parmesan cheese for this recipe. The flavor really shines through!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
oh my gawd, I’m so making this. . maybe even today!!
bakerbynature says
Love it!!! <3
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says
YOU KNOW I would add more cheese! 😀 I love everything about this cacio e pepe-especially that you made it into a one pan dish!!!
ahu @ ahueats says
I love the one pot recipes and this one is just beautiful. Only one dish to wash *yay*!!
Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps says
LOVE everything about this, and YES totally reminds of the simple pasta meals I had in Italy!!
Sophia @ NY Foodgasm says
LOOOOOVE this!! I would just add some baby spinach too so it had some veggie action!
Lindsey @ American Heritage Cooking says
I can’t pronounce the name but this pasta looks fabulous! Creamy cheesy goodness! And so easy. {I sound like Dr. Seuss…forgive me} Pinned!
Heidi says
How easy is that? Love that you’re channeling Ina Garten 🙂 Who doesn’t love simplicity in the kitchen, I slurp these babies as a side dish or certainly all on their own. Oh, Roma!
Tieghan Gerard says
I have been dying to try the one pot idea. This looks awesome!
ANDREA says
I have to say that I am impressed the noodles cooked and everything. Usually when I make a one pot dish with spaghetti it doesn’t cook all the way. I added some Italian seasoning also.