Brown Butter Cacio e Pepe Recipe (20 Minutes)

Cacio e pepe sounds like a fancy Italian restaurant menu item, but it simply translates to cheese and pepper. It’s a classic, easy-to-make pasta that calls for only a handful of ingredients, just pasta, cheese, and black pepper.

In this version, the sauce begins with unsalted butter that’s browned until golden and toasty. Then goes in freshly cracked black pepper, reserved pasta water, and Pecorino Romano cheese. The result is a silky sauce that’s nutty, cheesy, and peppery. It’s the most indulgent 20-minute weeknight dinner.

Use Bucatini or Any Long Pasta

Traditionally, a long pasta, like spaghetti, is used to make cacio e pepe. This recipe calls for bucatini, which is similar in length and thickness to spaghetti but has a hole in the middle. Bucatini is great at collecting sauce and getting coated with flavor inside out. You can use spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine, or any long pasta. And if you’re feeling extra, try making it with fresh pasta—either store-bought or DIY.

How To Make Brown Butter Cacio e Pepe

For four to six servings, you’ll need:

• 8 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 pound dry bucatini
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more for serving
• 4 ounces finely grated Pecorino Romana cheese (about 2 cups)

In a large pot, bring 8 cups water and the salt to a boil. This may feel like it’s not enough water, but it is! After you cook the pasta, the water will be concentrated with starch, which you’ll use to thicken the sauce.

Cook the pasta until al dente, following package instructions. Use a measuring cup or ladle to reserve 2 cups of pasta cooking water. Then, drain the pasta into a colander set in the sink.

While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large high-sided skillet set over medium heat. The butter will get foamy on top. Stir it continuously with a rubber spatula. In 2 to 4 minutes, (timing depends on how hot your skillet is) you’ll see brown bits form on the bottom of the skillet and the butter will smell nutty. Reduce the heat to low.

Immediately, stir the black pepper into the brown butter and cook for 30 seconds to enhance its flavor. Carefully whisk in 1 cup of the reserved pasta water and cook for about 1 minute. Add the grated Pecorino Romano, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly until the cheese is melted and the sauce looks smooth and creamy.

Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to combine. If sauce looks dry, add more pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, until it evenly coats the pasta and looks creamy. Serve with extra ground black pepper, if you’d like.

Tips for Success

Watch your brown butter closely. It can go from perfectly golden to burnt quickly. If you sense that it will burn, quickly but carefully transfer the butter into a heat-proof bowl to stop it from further browning.

Pre-shredded cheese contains drying agents to prevent clumping, which can interfere with it melting well. Grate your own cheese with the smallest holes on a box grater or a microplane for light, fluffy cheese shreds that melt evenly and quickly.

A No-Brainer Dinner

A green salad and crusty bread are a no-fuss pairing for brown butter cacio e pepe. You can also serve this as a side (think: rustic mac & cheese) with chicken and roasted broccoli. 

I like to bring the pepper grinder to the table for anyone who would like a dusting of freshly ground black pepper. For even more flavor, top the cacio e pepe with toasted, chopped walnuts or a sprinkle of finely chopped herbs, such as parsley, basil, or thyme.