Bucatini Cacio e Pepe with Fried Shallots

If there’s one thing I know about throwing dinner parties, it’s that you can never go wrong with serving pasta! This bucatini cacio e pepe has just 5 ingredients – pasta, black pepper, salt, Pecorino Romano, and fried shallots – for an elevated twist on the classic Roman dish. It’s ridiculously easy to make, comes together in minutes, and is beyond creamy and cheesy. Make it as a main meal or side dish – it’s the best!

My girls’ night dinner party menu always includes the following: pasta, a big salad, pesto garlic bread, and a few bottles of wine. It’s low-key, it’s elegant, and everyone leaves your house in carbo-loaded bliss. I mean, what more could we want out of a cozy night at home with friends?

But an elegant dinner doesn’t have to be hard, as evidenced by cacio e pepe. This pasta has just two main ingredients – pepper and Pecorino Romano – which might sound like it’s just noodles with parm but it’s so much deeper than that. This pasta is cheesy, creamy, a bit spicy, and just sososo good.

Light some candles, put on a cute little dress, and text your friends. We’re having pasta night!

Also, if you’re looking for even more pasta recipes, try spicy bucatini carbonara, marry me chicken pasta, or pork ragù with gnocchi. They’re all amazing!

A classic Roman pasta

The first time I had cacio e pepe was when I learned how to make it when I was in culinary school. But it was also my go-to dish when I visited Rome a few years ago! Cacio e pepe is a Roman pasta dish that literally translates to “cheese and pepper”.

And in this version, we’re taking it up a notch with crispy fried shallots. It’s not traditional by any means, but a few years ago, I had this pasta with fried garlic at a restaurant and it was unreal. So I decided to make it with my go-to allium – shallots! Here’s a few more highlights.

• This pasta really is a pantry staple but it’s also a dream comfort food.
• This recipe has just 5 ingredients and comes together in minutes.
• Serve it as a main dish for a dinner party or as a side dish with chicken, steak, & more.

5 ingredients (+ variations!)

• Pasta – bucatini is the most traditional but spaghetti works too. You want a long pasta to soak up all of that amazing creamy sauce!
• Black pepper – freshly-cracked is 100% necessary. Since this pasta is so basic, you need the best of the best. The fresher the pepper, the more flavorful your pasta will be!
• Pecorino Romano – this is a sharp, salty sheep’s milk cheese that’s traditional in this recipe. In a pinch, Parmesan will work but if you can find Pecorino Romano, I definitely recommend it!
• Fried shallots – these are completely optional but add a lovely crunch and extra flavor. You can use store-bought but homemade crispy shallots are beyond easy. Feel free to use fried garlic instead!
• Kosher salt – this is key for seasoning the pasta. I use Morton’s Kosher salt.

You 100% need to use freshly-grated Pecorino Romano! Pre-shredded cheese has additives that will make the sauce clump up.

Bronze-cut bucatini

Bucatini is the traditional pasta shape in this recipe. And it’s definitely my fave! Bucatini is similar to spaghetti but it’s a bit thicker and has a little a hole running through the center. It’s basically a long tube which is perfect cause it picks up all of the cheesy sauce!

I also recommend using bronze-cut pasta (sometimes called bronze die cut) if you can find it. Bronze-cut pasta has a coarser texture which picks up even more sauce. So lovely!

How to make perfect cacio e pepe

This recipe for authentic cacio e pepe is the one I learned how to make when I was in culinary school. I’ve used this method for almost 10 years and it honestly couldn’t be easier! It’s totally foolproof.

Boil the pasta

1. Start by bringing a big old pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the bucatini to the boiling water.
2. Then, boil the pasta until it’s about 1-2 minutes shy of al dente. It’ll have a bit of a bite.
3. Drain the pasta but don’t dump out the starchy pasta water! You’ll need at least 2 cups.

Make sure not to use too much water when you boil the pasta! We want the pasta to cook in a small amount of water so it gets very starchy and flavorful.

Make the sauce

1. Once the pasta is drained, pat the pot dry. Then, add the pepper and cook over medium heat until the pepper is fragrant and a bit toasty.
2. Stir in some of the starchy pasta water and mix everything together well.
3. Then, add the pasta and stir the mixture over medium heat until the pasta is al dente and coated in the sauce.

For extra shallot flavor, feel free to add about 1-2 Tablespoons of the leftover frying oil to the pan along with the pepper. Let the pepper bloom in the oil for about 1 minute. So delicious!

Stir in the cheese

1. Add a splash of starchy pasta water to the cheese and stir until you have a thick paste. Don’t go crazy, you just want to temper the cheese a little!
2. Remove the pasta from the heat and spoon the cheese mixture over the top. Let it sit for about 1 minute.
3. Lastly, quickly stir the pasta together until the cheese is melted into a gorgeous, glossy sauce. Garnish the pasta with more cheese, pepper, and the fried shallots. Enjoy!

If the sauce is too thick, add more starchy pasta water a splash at a time. It should be the consistency of heavy cream!

Tips to prevent cheese clumps

The difference between ridiculously good C&P and bummer C&P all lies in the technique. There are a lot of things that can lead to clumpy cheese. So let’s avoid it with these tips!

• Use freshly-grated cheese – this is an absolute must and my #1 trade secret. Pre-shredded cheese has additives that will make the pasta clumpy. I also like to finely grate the cheese on the smallest holes of the cheese grater so that it melts quicker.
• Temper the cheese – this made the biggest difference when I was testing this recipe. (And trust me, I’ve tested it many times!) Adding a small splash of water to the cheese helps warm it up a little so it easily melts into the pasta. It should be the consistency of a thick paste.
• Stir the cheese off heat – don’t worry, the leftover heat from the pot and pasta will help the cheese melt beautifully. If it’s not melting after a few minutes, return the pan to the heat on the lowest setting and stir constantly until the sauce is creamy.

Store & reheat leftovers

To be honest, this is one of those dishes that is just better day-of. The pasta will dry out a little bit once you put it in the fridge. It’s not necessarily bad, just not as good as when it’s fresh out of the pot! But, if you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 3 days.

To reheat the pasta, I would save some of the starchy pasta water, it helps a lot! Just add a splash to the pasta and microwave for 1-1 1/2 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the sauce is glossy.

Or, you can reheat it over medium-low heat in a pan with a splash of pasta water. Stir often until the sauce is the consistency of heavy cream.

Definitely don’t store the pasta with the fried shallots. They will get soggy in the fridge!

Serving ideas – main meal or side dish!

This pasta is one of my go-tos because it’s lovely as a side dish, but it’s good enough to stand on its own too. If you’re serving it as a main, it’s delicious with a simple green salad, lemony charred broccoli, or lemony green beans.

Or, if you’re making this as a side dish for a dinner party, add a cozy main to round everything out! I like smoked tri-tip, reverse sear filet mignon, or even just a buttery roast chicken.

If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!

---

xo Sara Lynn

Song of the day – He Loves Me by Brittany Howard

Originally posted on April 16, 2020.