Roasted Garlic Cacio E Pepe

February 10, 2024

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

Indulge in the rich flavors of Italy with this delightful twist on the classic cacio e pepe. Roasted garlic adds a depth of flavor that perfectly complements the simplicity of this dish. Al dente strands of pasta coated in a luxurious blend of Pecorino Romano cheese and freshly cracked black pepper create a culinary symphony that will tantalize your taste buds.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Roasted garlic has a sweet, more mild, and slightly caramelized flavor. Pairing this with a combination of Pecorino Romano cheese and starchy pasta water creates a creamy sauce that coats the pasta, leaving a luxurious dinner with every bite. Its a delicious twist on the classic Cacio E Pepe that adds complexity to it while still being simple to make. Cacio E Pepe is typically made with 3 ingredients, so adding a head of garlic doesn’t break the bank! This dish is perfect for both weeknight dinners and special occasions. A comforting aroma of the roasted garlic & cheese is sure to evoke feelings of warmth and satisfaction, making it a comforting and indulgent dinner.

Ingredients for Roasted Garlic Cacio E Pepe

Spaghetti: The classic noodle for this dish. You can use linguine or bucatini for this, however I feel that angel hair may not be best as the noodles can rip apart as your tossing. You can use your favorite gluten-free spaghetti if you wish.
Unsalted Butter: Butter is not found in traditional Cacio E Pepe, but here’s my reasoning for adding it: mashing the roasted garlic into the butter really allows it to become aromatic and spreads easier when you’re tossing the pasta.
A head of Garlic: You can totally roast the garlic ahead of time. This will yield about 2 tbsp worth, depending on how big the head of garlic is. (Mine was pretty big, so it yielded 1/4 cup.)
Pecorino Romano: The key to a perfect Cacio E Pepe recipe is freshly grated cheese. Using a microplane to grate the cheese creates a fine grate helps the cheese melt into the dish evenly.
Freshly Ground Black Pepper: Trust me when I say that this ingredient makes a difference! Freshly ground has a more powerful flavor than pre-ground black pepper. Classic Cacio E Pepe uses freshly ground, so it only makes sense to stick to the roots.

Tips & FAQs

Storage: This is best consumed right from the pan, otherwise you can store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Reheat in a pan and splash some water in little by little as you cook it. You will need to toss and may need to add more cheese as you go, since it’ll be clumpy instead of smooth.
How do you pronounce Cacio E Pepe? KA-choh eh PEH-peh.
Dos and Don’ts:
- Don’t use too much pasta water: Use only 1/2 cup of the pasta water before you drain the pasta. You want the pasta water to emulsify with the cheese, not completely drown it.
- Don’t overcook the pasta: It’s very important that the pasta is served al dente so that it still has a nice firm bite to it. The pasta will cook slightly while tossing with the sauce, so it’s important to keep a close eye on the pasta during the last few minutes of cooking. You want it to just barely be al dente.
- Don’t overheat the sauce: We want a smooth sauce with no clumpy cheese and without any cheese sticking to the pan! While these are common mistakes, it’s super easy to avoid. It’s best to keep a very low heat as you toss the pasta. You must continuously toss the pasta as you add in the cheese and pasta water so it can be exposed to cooler air and not overheat while sitting in the pan.
- Do use a large enough saute pan or skillet. You need a lot of room to toss the pasta when combining the ingredients together, so it’s important that there’s room to groove in the pan.
- Do grate the cheese by hand: As always, it’s important to grate the cheese by hand instead of pre-grated cheese at the store. Pre-grated cheese usually contains anti-caking agents that prevent the cheese from melting smoothly. Use a microplane or a box grater to finely grate the cheese just before adding it to the recipe.

Recipe:

Servings 6

Author Dani Bayer

Prep time

1 Hour

Cook time

10 Min

Total time

1 H & 10 M

Print