A cheesy, Roman classic, this Instant Pot Cacio E Pepe Pasta Recipe is one of the fastest, easiest, and most delicious recipes you can make in your Instant Pot. Cacio E Pepe will bring a delicious cheesy flavor to your main course and can be made with just a few simple ingredients.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Authentic Italian Flavor: Experience a classic Roman dish in the comfort of your own home.
- Effortless Preparation: The Instant Pot makes this thin spaghetti recipe easy and fast to prepare.
- Creamy and Decadent: This Cacio E Pepe Pasta is a delightful mix of cheese, pepper, and al dente noodles.
🥘 Ingredients
You’ll only need a total of 4 ingredients to make this Instant Pot cacio e pepe recipe. It's one of my favorite pasta dishes and is quick and easy to whip up. Here’s what you need:
- Spaghetti Noodles: The base of the dish, they provide the classic pasta element.
- Chicken Broth: Adds moisture and flavor to cook the spaghetti noodles.
- Pecorino Romano Cheese: The star ingredient, it brings a rich and salty taste to the dish.
- Freshly Cracked Black Pepper: Essential for flavoring the pasta, freshly ground black pepper adds a bold and aromatic kick to the dish.
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
📖 Substitutions & Variations
- Change Broth: One of the best things about using an Instant Pot for this dish is that it adds a delicious depth of flavor by cooking the pasta in chicken broth. However, if you're looking to make this dish vegetarian or just want to try something different, you can easily switch out the chicken broth for vegetable broth or even water.
- Add Shrimp: To make shrimp cacio e pepe, cook your shrimp in the instant pot before adding the spaghetti noodles. Cook the shrimp for 1-2 minutes under high pressure. Then, release the pressure and remove the cooked shrimp from the Instant Pot. Add your spaghetti noodles and continue with the recipe as directed. Add the shrimp back at the end.
- Add Chicken: To make this recipe with chicken, cook thin slices of chicken in the instant pot before adding the spaghetti noodles. Cook the chicken for 1-2 minutes under high pressure. Then, release the pressure and remove the cooked chicken from the Instant Pot. Add your spaghetti noodles and continue with the recipe as directed. Finally, mix in cooked chicken.
- Noodles: I use spaghetti noodles to make Instant Pot cacio e pepe, but you can use other noodles as well. Italians normally use tonnarelli to make this dish which is similar to spaghetti. You could also use fettuccini noodles, Vermicelli, Bucatini or Angel Hair Pasta.
- Cheese: You can certainly experiment with different cheeses, but Pecorino Romano cheese is the traditional cheese used in cacio e pepe. This type of cheese has a sharp and salty flavor that pairs well with the pepper and spaghetti noodles. If you want to try out a different cheese, I recommend using grated Parmesan cheese.
- Try adding cooked bacon, crispy breadcrumbs, or even sautéed mushrooms for added texture and flavor.
🔪 How To Make Instant Pot Cacio E Pepe
- Step 1: First, add the spaghetti noodles and chicken broth to your inner pot. Be sure to break the noodles up and submerge them in the broth. Next, close the Instant Pot lid, push the pressure valve to the sealing position, hit the manual or pressure cook button, and set the timer for 8 minutes.
- Step 2: Once your Instant Pot beeps, do a quick release by pushing the pressure valve to the venting position to release the pressure. Let the noodles cool for 1 minute. Then, add ⅓ cup of the pecorino romano at a time to your noodles.
- Step 3: Mix everything well with tongs. Repeat until all the cheese is mixed into your pasta.
- Step 4: Finally, add your desired amount of freshly cracked black pepper to your noodles. Serve your cheesy spaghetti noodles in a bowl alongside your favorite protein or green salad.
👩🍳 Expert Tips
Follow these top tips to get the maximum flavor and best texture for your cacio e pepe Instant Pot recipe:
- Turn Your Instant Pot Off: Before adding the Pecorino Romano, make sure the Instant Pot is turned off and not on keep warm. If you don’t turn the Instant pot off the cheese will clump together.
- Add Cheese to Warm Noodles: Don’t let the noodles cool longer than a minute otherwise the cheese won’t melt easily.
- Use Freshly Grated Peppercorns: Freshly cracked peppercorns have much more flavor than the pre-grated containers.
- For Best Flavor: Top with extra cracked black pepper, grated pecorino romano cheese, and some fresh parsley for added flavor and garnish. Yum!
💭 FAQs
Cacio e Pepe is a Roman pasta dish that translates to cheese and pepper. This simple dish includes spaghetti, pepper, and Pecorino Romano cheese. It's like a basic macaroni but super tasty!
The Instant Pot cacio e pepe is creamy, cheesy, and packed with bold pepper flavor. Pecorino Romano cheese gives a sharp, salty taste to the noodles, while black pepper adds a kick to each bite. It's delicious and easy to make - give it a try!
This Italian pasta dish is pronounced as ca-cho ee pepe.
If you want to make this delicious recipe spicy, you can add a pinch of red pepper flakes to your dish! But, traditionally, cacio e pepe is not spicy.
Cacio e pepe is typically made with Pecorino Romano cheese, which is made from sheep's milk and therefore not technically vegetarian.
However, you can easily substitute the Pecorino for a vegetarian alternative such as Parmesan or nutritional yeast to make this dish vegetarian-friendly!
If you prefer rigatoni noodles, go for it! Just be sure to adjust the cooking time for the type of pasta you are using. Different types and shapes of pasta require different cook times.
Yes, you can definitely make this recipe in a slow cooker. Cook the spaghetti noodles in chicken broth on low for 2-3 hours or until the noodles are tender.
Then, stir in grated Pecorino Romano cheese and cracked pepper before serving.
Yes you can make this pepe instant pot cacio with fresh pasta. To do so, reduce the cooking time to 2-minutes if using fresh spaghetti noodles.
If using a fresh thick noodle like bucatini or tonnarelli, cook for 4-minutes under pressure.
If your Instant Pot cacio e pepe clumps, it could be because you didn’t turn the Instant Pot off before adding the cheese. It is important to turn off the Instant Pot first so that the cheese can melt smoothly into the noodles without clumping.
Another reason for clumping could be using a low-quality cheese . Make sure to use high-quality and freshly grated cheese for the best flavor and texture.
Also, be sure not to overcook the noodles as this can cause them to clump together. Adding a splash of chicken broth or milk can also help prevent clumping in your Instant Pot cacio e pepe pasta.
🧂Serving Suggestions
Cacio E Pepe is a perfect side dish for a variety of dishes. You could also eat it all by itself. Here are some serving suggestions to serve alongside this classic pasta dish.
Cacio e Pepe: Indulge in the classic flavors of Cacio e Pepe alongside your favorite Instant Pot dishes for a diverse and satisfying meal experience.
- Air Fryer Paprika Shrimp: Pair succulent Paprika shrimp with Cacio e Pepe for a delightful contrast of flavors and textures, creating a well-rounded meal.
- Creamy Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs: Serve creamy honey mustard chicken thighs alongside Cacio e Pepe for a combination of rich, savory, and peppery flavors that complement each other perfectly.
- Instant Pot Petite Sirloin: Enjoy tender petite sirloin steak with Cacio e Pepe, creating a hearty and satisfying meal that's both comforting and flavorful.
- Creamy Pan Fried Salmon: Pair tender Salmon with Cacio e Pepe for a hearty and comforting meal, combining the rich flavors of creamy salmon with the simplicity of pasta and cheese.
🍽 Enjoy These Easy Pasta Dishes
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Instant Pot Cacio E Pepe
Ingredients
- 8 oz Spaghetti Noodles Uncooked, broken in half
- 2, ½ Cuos Chicken Broth
- 2.5 Cups Pecorino Romano grated, fresh
- ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
- Add to your instant pot your spaghetti noodles and chicken broth. Close the lid on your instant pot and make sure your sealing valve is closed as well. Set your instant pot to high-pressure for 8 minutes.
- Once your instant pot is done cooking, do a quick release by bringing the sealing valve toward you and releasing the pressure.
- Wait about one minute to allow the noodles to cool. Add ⅓ cup of cheese at a time to your spaghetti noodles and broth mixture. Mix well with tongs. Repeat until cheese is done.
- Add in your desired amount of cracked pepper to your instant pot. I did about 2 tablespoons cracked pepper for the entire pot, but you may enjoy more or less. You can also add more to each prepared dish.
- Transfer to your serving bowl and enjoy!
This dish is my go-to when I crave comfort food with a kick. Creamy, cheesy, and peppery—it's like a warm hug in a bowl, ready in minutes thanks to the Instant Pot!