We are giving your favourite pasta recipe a bit of spicy flare with this Szechuan Cacio e Pepe! This recipe is super easy and only requires 7 ingredients and 25 minutes to prepare.
Friends, I am beyond excited to share this recipe with you! I am a pasta lover through and through, and one of my favs when I am in Italy is a traditional Cacio e Pepe. This is literally translated to “cheese and pepper” aka all good things in life.
This recipe is as simple and as delicious as it gets, but we are adding a very special twist in the pepper department with the addition of Szechuan peppercorns for some spicy flare. So grab your cacio and grab your pepe, because you are in for a treat with this Szechuan Cacio e Pepe pasta!
Table of contents
Why This Recipe Works
This Szechuan Cacio e Pepe is made for pasta lovers who are open to a little Asian flare by way of Szechuan peppercorns. So if you have an open mind and an appetite, then here are some more reasons why this pasta might just becomes one of your new favourites!
- Requires less than 10 ingredients
- Only takes 25 minutes to prepare
- High in protein (28 grams per serving)
- A little spicy
- Super cheesy!
Key Ingredients
Cheese – To make this Szechuan Cacio e Pepe super cheesy we combine parmesan and Romano cheese. I also cant stress enough the importance of using freshly grated cheese. So yes, that means ditching the pre-grated stuff because it will not melt as well into the sauce and the flavour profile just doesn’t compare.
Peppercorns – While any traditional cacio e pepe recipe will use black peppercorns, we are adding our own little twist by combining it with Szechuan peppercorns, as well. If you know you know, but if you haven’t had the pleasure of tasting Szechuan pepper for yourself – let this be your yummy introduction!
Spaghetti – For this recipe we are using some whole wheat spaghetti, but any other high fibre spaghetti would be ideal! You can also make this recipe gluten free by using a gluten free pasta.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Toast both the black and Szechuan peppercorn in a wide skillet over medium heat until fragrant, this should take a minute or two.
Step 2: Toss it into a mortar and pestle and grind to a coarse powder.
Step 4: Bring olive oil and half the butter to medium high heat. Add in the toasted and freshly ground pepper and stir. Next add in ½ cup of the pasta water to form a sauce. Add the spaghetti toss till the spaghetti is well coated in the sauce.
Step 5: Turn off the heat and finish with remaining butter, pasta water and all the cheese. Toss some more till the pasta looks thick and glossy.
Expert Tips
- We recommend waiting to add the cheese until AFTER you turn off the heat, otherwise it will become clumpy which is no bueno
- Keep in mind that Szechuan peppers deliver a numbing sensation, so a little goes a long way. I’d suggest starting with ½ teaspoon and adding more depending on your taste preference
- While this recipe is pretty simple and straight forward, for best results you will need a mortar and pestle and a micro plane zester
Recipe FAQs
You can find Szechuan peppercorns at any Asian market or spice purveyors. Otherwise, you can always purchase them online.
To make this recipe gluten free you can replace the whole wheat spaghetti with a gluten free variety. One of my personal favourites is this chickpea pasta because its packed with protein and fibre (while also being gluten free).
I am totally not against having this Szechuan cacio e pepe as my main meal because I loveeeee me some cheesy spicy carbs. But If you want to balance things out a bit and go easy on the carbs, you can enjoy this with a side of mixed greens, roasted veggies, or some lean protein. This pasta is so flavourful and you want it to stand out amongst anything you pair it with.
Absolutely! You’ll just have to replace the butter and cheese with vegan varieties. Easy peasy!
More Recipes You Might Like
If you are a fellow pasta aficionado like me, then you’re going to love these pasta recipes on the blog!
- Vegan Mushroom Pasta (with Healthy Creamy Sauce!)
- Easy Jerk Chicken Pasta (Gluten Free)
- Zoodles Carbonara Pasta
- Pasta Bake with White Bean, Kale and Sausage
Have you tried this Szechuan Cacio e Pepe recipe? Are you a fan? Sound off in the comments below!
Szechuan Cacio e Pepe (Easy Spicy Pasta Recipe)
Ingredients
Instructions
- Toast both the black and Szechuan peppercorn in a wide skillet over medium heat until fragrant, this should take a minute or two. Toss it into a mortar and pestle and grind to a coarse powder.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil, salt generously. Add pasta to the pot, ensure to undercook by a couple of minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the spaghetti.
- While the pasta is cooking, return the same wide skillet back to the stove. Bring olive oil and half the butter to medium high heat. Add in the toasted and freshly ground pepper and stir. Next add in ½ cup of the pasta water to form a sauce.
- Add the spaghetti toss till the spaghetti is well coated in the sauce. Turn off the heat and finish with remaining butter, pasta water and all the cheese. Toss some more till the pasta looks thick and glossy (add some more water if needed)
- Serve immediately with half a teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper and pecorino romano cheese.
Notes
- We recommend waiting to add the cheese until AFTER you turn off the heat, otherwise it will become clumpy which is no bueno
- Keep in mind that Szechuan peppers deliver a numbing sensation, so a little goes a long way. I’d suggest starting with ½ teaspoon and adding more depending on your taste preference.
- While this recipe is pretty simple and straight forward, for best results you will need a mortar and pestle and a micro plane zester
Nutrition
Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by the Ontario College of Dietitians. She is a mom, YouTuber, Blogger, award winning cookbook author, media coach specializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications like Healthline and on national broadcast TV shows.
A says
Found this recipe because of your YouTube intro and it did not disappoint. My whole household loved it!
I modified it by using red lentil pasta for protein (HCC!), and while it was a fun color I think I would have preferred chickpea pasta or keep with the wholegrain. I also halved the amount of szechuan peppers as I was afraid of it being too spicy. I don’t think it was necessary at all! Next time I will not modify the spices.
I have never commented on a recipe blog but we enjoyed it so much!
Michelle Hastie Thompson says
Thank you for sharing a delicious recipe! I cannot wait to try it!