Authentic Cacio e Pepe

Close up of cacio e pepe in a white bowl with a fork on the side.

Course: Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Vegetarian

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 20

Servings: bowls

Calories: 541kcal

Author: Shruthi Baskaran-Makanju

My authentic bucatini cacio e pepe recipe is made with just 3 ingredients and is adapted from Anthony Bourdain's favorite restaurant in Rome. Ready in just 20 minutes.

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US Customary - Metric

Ingredients

¼ cup water reserved from cooking pasta
1 lb bucatini see substitutions in post
4 cups Pecorino Romano freshly grated, additional for garnish
3 teaspoons black pepper freshly ground and coarse

Instructions

Cook pasta in salted water per package instructions.
Critical Tips: Use 1 gallon of water per pound of pasta. Reserve 1 cup of water 2 minutes before it reaches al dente and allow water to cool down a bit before mixing with cheese.
Use the smallest hole on your grater and grate Pecorino Romano into a bowl.
In a large skillet, toast the black pepper over medium heat for 1–2 minutes. Add a ladle of hot pasta water to the pepper.
Note: The water will bubble, and turn somewhat white due to the starch (but this is good, because it'll help the cheese and pepper bind to your pasta!)
Slowly whisk ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water (should still be warm, but not boiling hot) into the grated cheese until a thick paste forms. Add more water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed.
Add drained pasta to the skillet with pepper and toss well to coat.
Turn off heat. Add the cheese paste to the pasta, tossing vigorously until smooth and saucy. Add a bit more pasta water if needed.
Serve hot with a grind of coarse black pepper and a sprinkle of cheese!

Video

Notes

WATCH YOUR PASTA WATER:

Use a gallon of water per pound of pasta. I’m usually not fussy about pasta water, but here, starch is everything. Measure your water (just the first couple times!) so your sauce emulsifies like a dream.
Reserve pasta water 2 minutes before al dente time to maximize starchiness.
Allow water to cool before adding to cheese. Boiling hot water can make the cheese clump. You want hot, but not boiling hot.

OTHER TIPS:

Stick to long, sturdy pasta—something like tonnarelli or bucatini—so it grabs the sauce and doesn’t clump.
If things start to seize up when you add the cheese, don’t panic—just splash in a bit more of that reserved pasta water to loosen it.
And okay, don’t judge me, but here’s a hack: throw the cheese and a bit of pasta water into a mini food processor. Blend until creamy, then stir that into the hot pasta with pepper. Foolproof, ultra-smooth, and totally worth it.

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