Bucatini Cacio e Pepe
Bucatini Cacio e Pepe is the easiest and, perhaps, one of the most classic Italian dishes. It is so simple to make any night of the week using dried pasta, shredded cheese, olive oil, butter, salt and pepper.
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Bucatini Cacio e Pepe is the easiest and, perhaps, most classic of all Italian dishes. It really is so simple to make any night of the week, and it works well for nights when you don’t want to turn on your oven or heat up the house.
The name Cacio e Pepe translates directly to cheese and pepper, and that’s about all it takes to make a perfect bowl of this pasta.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This recipe takes a minimal-ingredient classic and turns it into a quick, weeknight-friendly dish with restaurant-level flavor. Using bucatini gives the sauce something to cling to, creating that signature silky texture. Everything comes together in one skillet — no large pot or colander required — and you’ll have dinner on the table in less than 20 minutes.
It’s rich, buttery, peppery and so satisfying for how little effort it takes.
Ingredients for Bucatini Cacio e Pepe
This recipe keeps it to the essentials. Here’s the simple ingredient list and why each one matters to the dish:
- Bucatini pasta — The thick, hollow noodle traditional to Roman cacio e pepe. The hole running through the center traps sauce and gives each bite extra flavor. Spaghetti or linguine work as substitutes, but bucatini is worth seeking out.
- Pecorino Romano — Sharper and saltier than Parmesan, and the traditional cheese for cacio e pepe. Finely grated is essential. Pre-shredded won’t melt smoothly into the sauce. Parmesan works as a milder substitute, or use a half-and-half blend.
- Cracked black pepper — Freshly cracked, not pre-ground. The pepper is a primary flavor here, not a seasoning afterthought. Toast it briefly in the dry skillet before adding water for a deeper, more complex bite.
- Butter and olive oil — Both contribute to the sauce’s richness and help the cheese emulsify smoothly.
Kosher salt — for the pasta water. Season assertively.
Serving Suggestions
Serve bucatini cacio e pepe as a simple main course or alongside a crisp green salad for a complete meal. It also pairs beautifully with roasted vegetables like my Blasted Broccolini or Garlicky Green Beans, which work especially well alongside the richness of the pasta.
Add a glass of white wine and you have the closest thing to a Roman trattoria dinner without having to put on shoes and leave your house.
Tips for Perfect Cacio e Pepe
- Grate the cheese fresh and fine. Pre-grated cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly. A Microplane or the fine side of a box grater is ideal.
- Don’t skip the starchy water. The concentrated pasta water is what emulsifies the sauce. If you drain the pasta, you lose the starch you need.
- Work quickly off the heat. Add the cheese when the heat is off. The residual warmth melts it without seizing — too much heat and the cheese turns grainy.
- Toast the pepper first. Add the cracked pepper to the dry skillet for 30 to 60 seconds before adding the water. It blooms the flavor and makes a noticeable difference.
- Season the water generously. The pasta cooks in a smaller amount of water than usual, so salt concentration matters more than in a traditional large pot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bucatini is a thick, hollow pasta noodle traditional to Roman cuisine. It looks like a thick spaghetti with a narrow hole running through the center, which allows sauce to cling both inside and outside the noodle. It’s the ideal pasta for cacio e pepe.
Yes. Spaghetti or even linguine will work. Bucatini just adds a little extra bite and sauce absorption.
Pecorino Romano is traditional, but Parmesan works just as well. It will result in a slightly milder flavor, though still delicious.
Grate the cheese finely and stir quickly off the heat. The residual warmth will melt the cheese into the remaining starchy water, olive oil and butter, creating a creamy sauce without seizing.
Yes. This recipe has been tested using gluten-free spaghetti. Try using 12 ounces of pasta, as one of the keys to a successful cacio e pepe sauce is the concentrated starchy liquid.
Bucatini Cacio e Pepe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces bucatini pasta
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¾ cup Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper, plus more for serving
Instructions
- In a large skillet over high heat, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt and dried bucatini.
- Return pan to a boil and reduce heat to medium-high. Cook for 10 minutes, using a wooden spoon to move the pasta around and ensure even cooking.
- After 10 minutes, most of the water will have absorbed or evaporated. Turn off the heat and add 1 tablespoon butter and 3 tablespoons olive oil.
- Use a cheese grater or zester to grate about ¾ cup Pecorino Romano cheese into the pan and stir together until the sauce is well combined.
- Transfer pasta to serving bowls and top with more fresh cracked pepper and extra grated Pecorino Romano, as desired. Serve.
Notes
- Toast the cracked black pepper in the dry skillet for 30 to 60 seconds before adding water. It deepens the flavor significantly.
- Grate the Pecorino Romano fresh and fine for the smoothest sauce. Pre-grated cheese won’t melt properly.
- Leftovers reheat well with a splash of water in a skillet over low heat.
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