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This one-pot Cacio e Pepe Risotto is creamy, rich, and decadent. With flavors of Pecorino romano and black pepper, it’s got all the flavors you love of cacio e pepe, but in peak cozy form. Risotto can be daunting to make but we break down the steps so you can make it at home and in one hour.
With just a handful of high quality ingredients and a simple cooking method, this Cacio e Pepe Risotto is an easy yet unique take on a classic risotto. It comes together in one pan and hits all of the savory flavor notes, making it versatile enough to be a weeknight dinner or fancy weekend dinner party.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy Risotto Recipe: Risotto might sound difficult to make, but this one is actually very simple. With a no-fuss method and just a few ingredients, this risotto turns out delicious, with ease, every time.
- Elevated Flavors: the fabulous flavors of cacio e pepe (Pecorino and black pepper) turned into a fabulous risotto. Plus, the crispy, cheesy frico topping really elevates it.
- Tasty Twist on Tradition: This recipe combines two well-known dishes, cacio e pepe and risotto, in a new and irresistible version of the classic pasta dish. All of the traditional rich, cheesy and peppery flavors are there, but this time in decadent risotto form.
What Is Cacio e Pepe?
Cacio e Pepe is an Italian dish that translates as “cheese and pepper.” “Cacio” means cheese in Italian and generally refers to Pecorino Romano, a hard sheep’s milk cheese. While “pepe” means pepper. Along with Carbonara, spaghetti alla Carbonara, and bucatini all’Amatriciana, Cacio e pepe is one of the four traditional Roman pasta dishes.
It comes together with just bucatini, Pecorino Romano, black pepper and starchy pasta water. The result is a creamy, luscious pasta that needs to be served immediately after it’s made for the best texture. It’s a classic for a reason.
Ingredient Notes
- Olive Oil: a couple tablespoons are needed to sweat the onions. You can also use butter.
- Onion: I like yellow onions here, but white can also be used. And important flavor base for ay risotto!
- Arborio Rice: Chewy and al dente once cooked, arborio rice is super starchy, giving risotto its’ signature creamy texture.
- White Wine: use a dry white wine you like to drink—those flavors will infuse into the risotto, giving it depth and a touch of acidity. It also means that opened bottle of wine will pair perfectly with the finished risotto.
- Chicken Broth: you’ll use a combination of chicken broth and water to cook the risotto. This combination adds savoriness without taking over the flavor of the dish as a whole.
- Pecorino Romano: Tangy and salty, this is the signature cheese in cacio e pepe.
- Black Pepper: it’s essential that you use freshly ground black pepper—don’t use the pre-ground stuff which can taste more duty than anything else.
- Unsalted Butter: this is optional and probably quite scandalous if you ask any Italian person. So skip it if you’re going for traditional. But a couple tablespoons of butter rounds out the savoriness and give it unbeatable creaminess.
Let’s Make Cacio e Pepe Risotto
Start with the Frico (cheese crisp):
- This is optional, but it is the cowbell of the entire dish!
- Start by heating your oven to 400ºF. Finely grate some Pecorino (I prefer to use a microplane).
- Scoop the cheese into 2-tablespoon mounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet then spread into a thin 4-inch round disk (but don’t press it down). Grind black pepper over each round.
- Bake until the crisps are golden and crisp, about 7–9 minutes. Let the frico cool completely on the baking sheets. (These can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored at room temperature).
Now, let’s make the risotto:
- Start by combining the broth and water in a saucepan, bring to a simmer then reduce to low and keep it warm.
- Now, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sweat, stirring occasionally, until onions soften, about 3–5 minutes.
- Add the rice and stir to coat then add in the black pepper and a pinch of salt. Cook until the edges of the rice start to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. If the rice starts to brown, reduce the heat and move onto the next step.
- Carefully stir in the wine and cook until it’s absorbed. Add 1 cup of the broth mixture and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the pan bottom is dry when rice is pulled back with spoon, about 8–10 minutes.
- Add another ½ cup of the broth mixture and stir frequently until absorbed. Continue adding broth in ½ cup increments and cooking until it’s absorbed before adding more.
- Cook rice until it’s creamy but still toothsome, about 20 minutes.
- Gradually stir in cheese, then add in butter and stir to combine. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
- Divide the risotto between bowls, then top with Pecorino frico and serve.
Expert Tips
- Use Warm Stock: Be sure your stock is simmering and warm as you add it to the rice. If you add cold liquid, it will just stall the cooking process and affect the overall texture and consistency.
- Add Liquid Gradually: Do not add all of your stock and liquid at the same time; that simply boils the rice, which is not what you want in a risotto recipe. Add it by the ½ cup and let it absorb before adding in more liquid.
- Stir Constantly: The key to delicious risotto is the creamy texture. And to achieve that, be sure to stir continuously. As you stir, the rice kernels bump up against each other and the starch from the arborio rice is released, which creates that signature creamy consistency.
- Avoid Overcooking Rice: Overcooked rice leads to a mushy risotto while undercooked rice can be too “crunchy”. Risotto should be perfectly al dente, so taste as you go.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
When it comes to risotto, nothing beats it fresh from the stove, but if you have leftovers, here are the best ways to store them.
- Fridge: Again, we really recommend serving and eating this risotto immediately, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The texture and consistency will be slightly different (the longer it sits, the more it will seize up), but it will still taste delicious. You will need to loosen the risotto a bit when reheating, so add a splash of broth or water as you’re reheating on the stove, stirring occasionally.
- Freezer: This risotto is best eaten immediately after cooking, but if you’d like to freeze leftovers, it’ll keep in an airtight container for up to 3 months. The texture will definitely be different; it won’t be as creamy and velvety, but again, it will still taste just as delicious as when it was first cooked. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and gently rewarm on the stove with a splash of stock, or in the microwave if you’re in a pinch.
FAQs
There are a few tips to make sure risotto comes out perfectly: add the liquid gradually, letting the rice absorb it before adding in more. And continuously stirring is key too. Arborio rice is starchy, and when you stir the risotto, the rice kernels bump up against each other, releasing starch, which then creates the rich, creamy texture. So, stir, stir, stir!
Stirring constantly helps to release the starch from the rice, which gives risotto a creamy texture. Adding additional pecorino romano cheese and butter at the end also gives it a creamy finishing touch.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
- Pasta with Chickpeas: A traditional and humble pasta packed with flavor.
- Red Wine Pasta Sauce: Rich, decadent, and an indulgent spin on tradition.
- Pasta Alla Puttanesca: A simple, flavorful classic.
- Easy Cherry Tomato Sauce: Easy and delicious, it doesn’t get much better than this.
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Cacio e Pepe Risotto
Description
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Ingredients
Frico
- ½ cup grated Pecorino
- Freshly ground black pepper
Risotto
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ medium onion, minced
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
- Kosher salt, to taste
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ½ cup freshly grated Pecorino romano
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
Frico
- Heat oven to 400ºF with rack set in middle position. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop cheese, by 2 tablespoon measures, onto baking sheets. Spread cheese out to thins 4-inch discs, set about ½ inch apart. Grind black pepper over each round.
- Bake until golden and crisp, 7–9 minutes. Let frico cool on baking sheets until crisp and cool enough to handle.
Risotto
- Combine broth and 2 cups water in a saucepan, cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce to low and keep warm.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions soften, 3–5 minutes.
- Stir in rice, 2 teaspoons pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until rice edges start to turn translucent, 5 minutes.
- Stir in wine and cook until absorbed. Add 1 cup broth mixture and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally until pan bottom is dry when rice is pulled back with spoon, 8–10 minutes.
- Add another ½ cup broth mixture and stir frequently until absorbed; continue adding broth in ½ cup increments and cooking until it is absorbed before adding more.
- Cook until rice is creamy but still somewhat firm in center, about 20 minutes.
- Gradually stir in cheese then add butter and stir to combine; season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
- Divide servings between bowls, top with Pecorino frico and serve.
