Creamy Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Classic Italian pasta with peppery, creamy Pecorino Romano cheese sauce that comes together quickly for a comforting and elegant dinner. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe, ready in about 20 minutes, pairs spaghetti, unsalted butter, freshly ground black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 5 min Cook: 15 min Serves 4 Italian cuisine 480 cal/serving
Build a week of meals around this recipe → Shop this recipe on Instacart → Shop equipment ↓

Ingredients

Nonstick skillets worth buying → Best Nonstick Cookware for 2026: Top 5 Skillet Picks + Buying Guide

Affiliate disclosure: AislePrompt may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through Amazon links, at no additional cost to you. See our policy →

Equipment for this recipe

Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.

More Cookware & pots → Shop all kitchen tools →

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and add 12 oz spaghetti. Cook for 8-10 minutes until al dente, reserving 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
  2. Step 2: Meanwhile, melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper and toast for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Step 3: Add the drained pasta to the skillet and pour in 1/2 cup reserved pasta water, tossing to coat the noodles in the butter and pepper.
  4. Step 4: Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, adding more reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce is creamy and clings to the spaghetti.
  5. Step 5: Serve immediately with extra black pepper and cheese if desired.

Related recipes