Cacio e Pepe Macaroni and Cheese is a fabulous, alternative way to make this classic dish- a traditional Italian pasta recipe.
We love pasta, and we especially love spaghetti carbonara. My family has been to Rome and we’ve had all the famous pasta dishes. We visited a restaurant there that claimed to have the best cacio e pepe recipe. It’s hard to be the judge of something like that, but it was certainly amazing. Now we’ve turned it into Cacio e Pepe Macaroni and Cheese. All of that wonderful, peppery, cheesy flavor is baked into a mac and cheese instead.
What is Cacio e Pepe?
Cacio e Pepe is a pasta dish that originated in Rome. It means “cheese and pepper.” The dish combines spaghetti with Romano cheese and cracked pepper. It’s a very simple dish with big flavor!
Big Boards and More by Sandy Coughlin
This recipe comes from a new book by Sandy Coughlin: Big Boards and More- 100 Mix-and-Match Recipes to Make Any Gathering Great. I love Sandy’s boards (she has many boards for sale in her shop), and her fun books that share creative ideas for food display on the boards. Big Boards and More is divided into two sections: Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter. In this new book, Sandy includes chapters on Keeping it Small (recipes for 2 to 4 people), Feeding a Crowd and Exploring the Great Outdoors. This is such a fun book to have on hand for entertaining ideas!
Here are several recipes in the book that we’d like to try:
- Mahi Mahi Fish Taco Board
- Grilled Corn Pineapple Salad
- Tiramisu French Toast
- Shaved Beef Gyros Picnic Board
- Pear Puff Pastry Tart
- Baked Brie Dinner Board
- Sour Cream Banana Cake
- Après Ski Seafood Potpie Soup Board
Here’s an example of one of the complete boards that is shared in the book. This is the Breakfast Sammy Board. It’s a board designed to include everything you need to construct breakfast sandwiches. What a fun board for a brunch!
Ingredients needed for Cacio e Pepe Macaroni and Cheese:
- Gruyère cheese
- unsalted butter
- panko breadcrumbs
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- all purpose flour
- whole milk
- Pecorino Romano cheese (sub Parmesan cheese if you’d like!)
- cooked al dente small pasta (shells or bows)
How to make Cacio e Pepe Macaroni and Cheese:
MAKE THE BREADCRUMBS:
MAKE THE CHEESE SAUCE:
COOK THE PASTA:
BAKE:
Bake until bubbling, 15 to 17 minutes.
This is delicious comfort food. It’s family friendly too.
The pepper is not overwhelming at all- it just gives the mac and cheese flavor. The tangy combination of the two cheeses makes this cacio e pepe macaroni and cheese recipe a wonderful take on classic cacio e pepe pasta. Enjoy!
How to make Cacio e Pepe Mac and Cheese Bites:
In Sandy’s book, there is an option to make this cacio e pepe macaroni and cheese into appetizer bites. Grease 24 mini muffin tins with nonstick spray. And divide the Gruyére cheese among the cups (instead of adding it into the cheese sauce). Proceed with the rest of the recipe as directed until the pasta is mixed with the cheese in the pan. Portion out the pasta into the muffin tins. Top each with a pinch of breadcrumbs. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until crisp brown and bubbling along the edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Allow the bites to cool in the pan for 20 minutes or so before removing them from the tin.
The Best Macaroni and Cheese Recipes:
- Skillet Macaroni and Cheese
- Spring Vegetable Macaroni and Cheese
- Loaded Mac and Cheese
- Baked Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese
Cacio e Pepe Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 2 cups (heaping) grated Gruyere cheese
- 1 cup (heaping) Pecorino Romano (or Parmesan), finely grated
- 1 pound small pasta (mini shells or macaroni bows)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick spray.
MAKE THE BREADCRUMBS:
- In a small skillet over medium-heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add panko and salt, and stir into the butter until the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Remove from heat, and set aside.
MAKE THE CHEESE SAUCE:
- In a medium skillet over medium-heat, add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and the pepper; cook until fragrant- 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until foamy and darkened. Whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes, until reduced by about two-thirds. Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the two cheeses until melted and combined. Set aside.
COOK THE PASTA:
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions to "al dente" state. Save ⅛ cup of the pasta water when draining and set that aside. Add the drained pasta back to the pot. Pour in the cheese sauce. Stir until just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon- about 4 minutes. Add in a little of the reserved pasta water if it seems too thick.
BAKE:
- Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the buttered panko. Bake until bubbling, 15 to 17 minutes.