A mouthwatering take on the classic cheese & pepper pasta Cacio e Pepe. This version has Pecorino Romano, black pepper, sage and mushrooms
This pasta is going to blow your mind
‘OMG! Log out of your computer and come upstairs because you have to try this pasta!’ I texted hubby excitedly whilst still chewing on my first mouthful of this Cacio e Pepe pasta. Flat out with work, Tomi texted back with a reply saying that he’ll reheat his share at lunch.
‘Ok, but I can’t promise leftovers after I’m done with it.’ I replied, taking in another large mouthful. Believe it or not, this wasn’t a lie. I was head over heels in love with this dish that I COULD NOT and DID NOT want to stop eating it. The pasta didn’t even make it to a plate. I was eating it straight from the pan like a person who hadn’t eaten for days.
The thought of missing out on a home-cooked lunch was not an option for Tomi, so he dashed upstairs. ‘What’s this? Where’s the meat?‘ he questioned, sounding extremely disappointed.
‘Ah, don’t judge a book by its cover. Trust me, this pasta is going to blow your mind!‘ ‘But I don’t like mushro…’ and before he could finish, I shoved a forkful of pasta in his mouth and waited for his reaction. ‘What do you think?’ I asked in excitement. After a few seconds of long and painful silence, he goes, ‘I have to try some more before I can let you know what I think’
This is Tomi’s sneaky way of tricking me into giving him double servings because I’m eager for his approval. He loaded up his own fork, which included a large piece of mushroom that he was so offended by initially. This time, there was no wait. ‘Bloody oath, that’s so good!’
Bloody oath, that’s good!
Tomi summed up this pasta dish pretty well. Not so elegantly put, but definitely factual. After finishing two bowls full of pasta, Tomi kept raving on about how much he enjoyed the dish. This surprised him very much, as he wasn’t a fan of mushrooms or meatless dishes.
Well, he shouldn’t be surprised because this dish has lashings of butter, Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly ground whole black peppercorns and, of course, pasta. 4 ingredients that he loves on their own, but even better when combined! Who knew?!
This Cacio e Pepe version has mushroom which goes beautifully with the earthy and bold flavours of the pecorino cheese. The sage also adds a welcomed herbal aroma to the dish.
A very reasonable list of ingredients and a quick and easy dish that’ll be ready on the table in less than 30 minutes.
If it wasn’t calorie-rich and so indulgent, I would be happy to eat this every day. I never knew how good freshly ground whole black peppercorn is with cheese. Another pairing made for each other and one we should all know about!
Check out more of our comforting and tasty pasta dishes:
Gnocchi with Brown Butter & Sage
Quick Smoked Salmon Spaghetti
Slow Cooked Ragu with 3 meat
Creamy Fettuccine Boscaiola
Ingredients for Cacio e Pepe with Mushrooms and Sage
Pasta – I love using thick spaghetti when making Cacio e Pepe, but only had regular spaghetti in the pantry when I made this, which worked out just as delicious. Long kinds of pasta such as linguine, tagliolini, bucatini, or fettuccine are the best for Cacio e Pepe.
Pecorino Romano is made with sheep’s milk. It’s a hard, crumbly cheese with bold, earthy and salty flavours. Pecorino may be a little hard to find, but I found one in my local supermarket. It’s worth the effort to find pecorino because it’s the heart and star of Cacio e Pepe. Purchase pecorino in a block or wedge rather than the pre-shredded ones as these contain anti-caking ingredients that may cause the cheese to clump during cooking.
Whole black peppercorns – For that delicious vibrant and ‘peppery’ taste, it’s worth paying extra for whole peppercorns. Pre-cracked or ground pepper won’t give the same beautiful spicy flavours as you would get with freshly ground peppercorn. To grind your peppercorns, use either a mortar and pestle, spice grinder or a powerful mini food processor.
Mushrooms – I used large flat white mushrooms. Swiss or Button mushrooms would also work well in this recipe. Portabellos are meaty and delicious but it leaves an unappealing grey colour in the pasta, so best to not use them if you’re making this dish for guests.
Subscribe to 3CatsFoodie’s FREE Newsletter
For the latest recipes and other fun stuff!
How to make Cacio e Pepe with Mushrooms and Sage
Step-by-step guide with photos
Cook the pasta – Cook the pasta as per the instructions on the packet but make sure not to overcook it. The pasta should be a little firm when bitten (al dente). Before draining the pasta, reserve 2 cups of the pasta water and set it aside. Drain the pasta using a colander, then rinse it with cold water. Leave the pasta in its colander and set aside until needed.
Melt the butter in a large deep frying pan over medium heat, then add in the sage and stir-fry gently until they’re crispy. If you want to keep the sage leaves in their shape for presentation, remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a plate, otherwise leave them in the pan.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and place the pasta into the pan along with the peppercorns and salt. Loosen the pasta with some reserved pasta water, adding a few tablespoons of water at a time whilst tossing the pasta. I used 1 1/2 cups of pasta water but you may need more or less, depending on how dry your pasta looks. Once you’re happy with the consistency of the pasta, add in the shredded cheese. Continue to toss and stir the pasta until the cheese has melted.
Add in the mushroom and cook until they’ve softened and browned. Have a taste and adjust the salt or pepper to your liking. Optional garnish– Serve with more grated pecorino cheese and place the crispy sage leaves on top. Best served immediately.
Leftovers – Allow the pasta to cool completely at room temperature, then transfer it into a sealed container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
I’ve used a third-party application to calculate the calories and nutritional information, so please use this as an approximate guide only.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements. For specific details and conversions, visit our Australian Cooking Measurements page.
I would love your feedback and support if you made this recipe. To do this, please rate this recipe and provide a comment by scrolling down this page or by clicking that green circle on the bottom left. An email address is required (for spam), but it won’t be published. I would also love to see your dish, so don’t forget to tag me on my Instagram account ‘3catsfoodie’
Cheers – Cat T
Cacio e Pepe with Mushrooms and Sage
Ingredients
- 400 gm thick spaghetti (or any long pasta) (NOTE 1)
- 80 gm unsalted butter
- 20 sage leaves
- 1 tbsp freshly ground black peppercorns (NOTE 2)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cup pasta water
- 1½ cup freshly grated pecorino cheese (180gm/ 6.5 oz) (NOTE 3)
- 300 gm mushroom (White or Swiss, 0.5cm slices) (NOTE 4)
- salt and pepper (to season to taste)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta – Cook the pasta as per the instructions on the packet but make sure not to overcook it. The pasta should be a little firm when bitten (al dente). Before draining the pasta, reserve 2 cups of the pasta water and set it aside. Drain the pasta using a colander, then rinse it with cold water. Leave the pasta in its colander and set aside until needed. Melt the butter in a large deep frying pan over medium heat, then add in the sage and stir-fry gently until they're crispy. If you want to keep the sage leaves in their shape for presentation, remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a plate, otherwise leave them in the pan.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and place the pasta into the pan along with the peppercorns and salt. Loosen the pasta with some reserved pasta water, adding a few tablespoons of water at a time whilst tossing the pasta. I used 1 1/2 cups of pasta water but you may need more or less, depending on how dry your pasta looks. Once you're happy with the consistency of the pasta, add in the shredded cheese. Continue to toss and stir the pasta until the cheese has melted.
- Add in the mushroom and cook until they've softened and browned. Have a taste and adjust the salt or pepper to your liking. Optional garnish– Serve with more grated pecorino cheese and place the crispy sage leaves on top. Best served immediately.
