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Home » Recipes » Lunch and Dinner

Super Simple Salt and Pepper Pasta Sauce

Published: Apr 2, 2020 · Modified: Jan 16, 2024 by Tristin Rieken · 5 Comments

Salt and Pepper Pasta turns simple pantry staples into a decadent lunch, quick comforting dinner, or an impressive late-night snack! Salty hard cheese, pasta water and freshly ground black pepper are combined in a delicious, versatile sauce based on the Italian classic pasta recipe, Cacio e Pepe.

simple black pepper pasta on aged wood board
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Jump to:
  • What is Cacio e Pepe?
  • Ingredients
  • Step by step instructions
  • Make it your own
  • 📖 Recipe

What is Cacio e Pepe?

Originally from Rome, traditional Cacio e Pepe (literally “cheese and pepper”) is made from pasta, Pecorino and black pepper. A super simple but rave-worthy recipe proving that sometimes the most simple things in life really are the very best.

I was first introduced to Cacio e Pepe on the No Reservations episode where Anthony Bourdain visits Rome and eats a dish so good he refuses to disclose the restaurant’s name for fear that tourists would ruin the experience.

Watching simple pantry staples being turned into a dish THAT good was so inspiring. And Salt and Pepper Pasta has been a star on my table, in some budget-friendly version or another, ever since.

macro shot swirls of fettuccine cacio e pepe with fork

I’ll save you the googling… the episode is No Reservations, Rome season 6, episode 20 and is available to stream on both Hulu and Amazon Prime Video 😉

Simple Salt and Pepper Pasta turns simple pantry staples into a decadent lunch, quick comforting dinner, or an impressive late-night snack! cacio e pepe | cacio e pepe recipe | black pepper pasta | quick easy pasta meal

Ingredients

  • Pasta – a light, thin sauce needs a substantial pasta to add heft to the bite. But although spaghetti, bucatini, fettuccine, linguine, and wide egg noodles are ideal any pasta can be used.
  • Parmesan – or any shredded, flaked or grated salty hard cheese. If you can find a block of Pecorino Romano choose that and grind it fresh into soft piles of cheese. Otherwise any will do. Even the powdery, green canister stuff in a severe pinch.
  • Black pepper – a mix of fine and coarse freshly ground pepper ensures every bite is coated in layers of black pepper flavor. Of course any ground black pepper can be substituted.
  • Butter – traditional cacio e pepe does not contain butter, so feel free to leave it out and add a splash more cooking water and cheese.
cacio e pepe pasta ingredients

Step by step instructions

Salt and Pepper Pasta can be made as simply as tossing cooked pasta with pepper and Parmesan in a bowl until coated, adding cooking liquid as needed to make it creamy. Zero point two seconds to delicious. I prefer to take it up a notch building the sauce in a pan and finishing the pasta in the warm sauce so it absorbs all the salty, peppery flavor.

  1. Bring salted water to a boil and cook pasta until *almost* al dente, about 2 -3 minutes before the package says it’s done, depending on the pasta.
  2. Drain pasta, reserving about a cup of the pasta water.
  3. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat to build the Salt and Pepper Sauce. Add freshly ground pepper to pan until fragrant then about ½ cup of pasta water. Stir in butter and half the cheese while bringing to a simmer.
  4. Add drained pasta to simmering sauce and continue cooking until finished, about 2 minutes longer.
  5. Remove from heat. Using tongs toss pasta while adding remaining Parmesan until sauce is thick, creamy and coats pasta.
Simple Salt and Pepper Pasta turns simple pantry staples into a decadent lunch, quick comforting dinner, or an impressive late-night snack! cacio e pepe | cacio e pepe recipe | black pepper pasta | quick easy pasta meal
  1. Serve immediately garnished with additional black pepper and grated Parmesan.
  2. Enjoy!
Simple Salt and Pepper Pasta turns simple pantry staples into a decadent lunch, quick comforting dinner, or an impressive late-night snack! cacio e pepe | cacio e pepe recipe | black pepper pasta | quick easy pasta meal

Make it your own

Looking for something else to serve with Salt and Pepper Pasta besides possibly wine and a dressed salad? Make it our own! A simple pasta sauce recipe like this is a blank slate for anything you want to serve on it; or with it!

  • bacon
  • lemon and arugula
  • chicken
  • shrimp
  • garlic
  • wild mushrooms
  • toasted crushed walnuts or breadcrumbs

📖 Recipe

simple black pepper pasta on aged wood board

Salt and Pepper Pasta

Simple Salt and Pepper Pasta turns simple pantry staples into a decadent lunch, quick comforting dinner, or an impressive late-night snack!
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Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 741kcal
Author: Tristin Rieken

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 8 ounces fettuccine or other sturdy pasta shape
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper freshly cracked
  • 3 tablespoons salted butter
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Bring roughly 3 ½ cups water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Using package directions, par-cook pasta until almost done, about 2 minutes less than instructed depending on shape. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
    8 ounces fettuccine
  • Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat warm black pepper for a few seconds before pouring in half the reserved pasta water and whisking in the butter.
    1 tablespoon black pepper, 3 tablespoons salted butter
  • Bring to a simmer then add drained pasta and continue cooking until it absorbs a bit of the sauce and becomes perfectly al dente, about 2 minutes longer.
  • Remove from heat. Using tongs toss pasta with half the Parmesan, adding remaining cheese and pasta water as needed until the sauce is thick and creamy.
    ¾ cup Parmesan cheese
  • Serve immediately topped with additional black pepper and Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 741kcal | Carbohydrates: 84g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 166mg | Sodium: 760mg | Potassium: 356mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 904IU | Calcium: 502mg | Iron: 3mg
Made this recipe? Please share!Mention @freshflavorful or tag #FreshFlavorfulLife
Nutrition Facts
Salt and Pepper Pasta
Amount Per Serving
Calories 741 Calories from Fat 288
% Daily Value*
Fat 32g49%
Saturated Fat 18g113%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 9g
Cholesterol 166mg55%
Sodium 760mg33%
Potassium 356mg10%
Carbohydrates 84g28%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 30g60%
Vitamin A 904IU18%
Calcium 502mg50%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Simple Salt and Pepper Pasta turns simple pantry staples into a decadent lunch, quick comforting dinner, or an impressive late-night snack! cacio e pepe | cacio e pepe recipe | black pepper pasta | quick easy pasta meal

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    4.72 from 7 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Sisley White

    April 28, 2020 at 2:02 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely perfect dinner and I loved it. I can’t wait to make it again. Thank you so much.

    Reply
  2. Jovita

    April 28, 2020 at 2:03 pm

    I am all for easy recipes, especially when staying at home with kids. This pasta sauce looks super simple but I am pretty sure that it tastes amazing!

    Reply
  3. Toni

    April 28, 2020 at 2:12 pm

    5 stars
    This is great for dinner any night of the week!

    Reply
  4. Emily Liao

    April 28, 2020 at 2:55 pm

    5 stars
    This pasta sauce really is so simple yet so delicious! Will definitely keep this one on hand for when I’m feeling for an easy dinner meal

    Reply
  5. Jeannette

    April 28, 2020 at 3:15 pm

    5 stars
    What a winning combo! I love how comforting this sauce is and it just pairs with EVERY pasta. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

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Hi, I'm Tristin Rieken, Welcome to Fresh Flavorful where I hope to inspire you with simple seasonal recipes and ideas to eat deliciously, entertain easily and adventure often.

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