• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Work With Me
  • Contact
  • Subscribe

Grateful Grazer

menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Work With Me
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipe Index
    • Work With Me
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Grateful Grazer

    Published: Jun 11, 2019 · Modified: Mar 25, 2022 by Stephanie McKercher, RDN · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

    Spinach Cacio e Pepe

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Spinach Cacio e Pepe is basically a grown-up version of mac and cheese! Experience the mouthwatering flavors of Rome in less than 30 minutes.

    Cacio e Pepe in ceramic bowl with spinach and peas. Cheese wedges in the background.

    This is not a Cacio e Pepe recipe for the purists. I’ll start with that disclaimer right off the bat.

    It’s a little bit healthier, but still incredibly easy and delicious, so I hope that makes up for the few liberties I couldn’t help but take with the recipe.

    Cacio e Pepe (Cacio = Cheese. Pepe = Pepper.) is a modern Roman dish with only three ingredients: pasta, pecorino cheese, and black pepper.

    I’m still working on being that much of a minimalist. Okay?

    In all honesty, I’m a sucker for cheesy pasta with lots of green veggies, so I fully support the addition of a few generous handfuls of spinach and a cup of green peas from the freezer.

    Plus a few cloves of garlic.

    I mean, come on. What’s pasta without a little garlic?

    I’m still sticking with the minimalist origins of Cacio e Pepe as best as I can.

    There are still less than 10 ingredients and you can easily prep and cook the whole thing in 30 minutes.

    It’s the best thing to make when there isn’t much in the fridge but you’re in the mood for comfort food and want to make use of what you already have.

    Pasta with spinach and green peas against grey background.
    Spinach Cacio e Pepe in ceramic bowl with pecorino romano cheese.

    How to Make Spinach Cacio e Pepe:

    All good pasta starts with a pot of boiling salted water. Don’t skip that step!

    The cooking liquid, in this case, is also used in the sauce that coats the pasta, so make sure you reserve a cup (or more) before you drain the noodles from the pot.

    To make the sauce, stir olive oil, garlic, and a hefty amount of black pepper in a skillet. The black pepper gives this pasta a good amount of spicy flavor, which I love, but you can always cut the amount in half if you prefer something milder.

    After you heat up the garlic and pepper, stir in the pasta, spinach, peas, and some of the cooking water. Then stir in the cheese and toss until the pasta is fully coated in peppery sauce.

    You can always add more of the pasta cooking water if it seems too dry.

    As always, try to taste and adjust as you go!

    Pasta with spinach and peas in ceramic bowl with wedge of cheese.
    Spinach Cacio e Pepe in ceramic bowl with pecorino romano cheese.

    Spinach Cacio e Pepe

    Bucatini noodles with spinach and green peas coated in pecorino romano cheese and freshly cracked black pepper.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Save Saved! Rate
    Course: dinner, lunch
    Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean, vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Author: Stephanie McKercher, RDN

    Ingredients

    Pasta:

    • Salt
    • 8 ounces bucatini pasta or long pasta of choice
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic (3 large cloves)
    • 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper (see note)
    • 4 cups baby spinach
    • 1 cup frozen green peas
    • 1 cup freshly grated vegetarian pecorino romano cheese (see note)
    • ¼ cup freshly grated vegetarian parmesan cheese

    Optional garnish:

    • Grated vegetarian pecorino or parmesan cheese
    • Freshly cracked black pepper

    Instructions

    • Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in bucatini pasta and cook 6 minutes, or until 2 minutes before al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, drain the pasta, and set aside.
    • Stir olive oil, garlic, and black pepper in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in cooked pasta, baby spinach, frozen green peas, and ¾ cup of the pasta cooking water. Cook 2 minutes, or until pasta is al dente. Add pecorino romano and parmesan cheese and stir until pasta is coated in sauce. If it seems too dry, gradually stir in more pasta cooking water as needed.
    • Transfer to pasta bowls and garnish with additional grated cheese and cracked black pepper if desired.

    Notes

    Many parmesan and pecorino romano cheeses are made with animal-derived rennet. Choose vegetarian parmesan and pecorino romano cheeses, which are made with plant-derived rennet, if this is important to you. If romano cheese isn’t available, substitute with additional grated parmesan. You can also use all parmesan cheese to give the dish a less sharp, milder flavor.
     
    Use ½ teaspoon black pepper (instead of a full teaspoon) for a milder flavor if desired.
     
    Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit.
    Tried this recipe? Tag me on Instagram!Mention @GratefulGrazer or tag #gratefulgrazer.

    Save this Spinach Cacio e Pepe on Pinterest

    Bowl of pasta with spinach and peas. Title text reads, "Spinach Cacio e Pepe" vegetarian, 30-minute meal, simple ingredients."

    Did you try this recipe?

    Rate and leave a comment below, and tag me (@GratefulGrazer) when you share on Instagram.

    Try These Recipes Next:

    • Easy No-Bake Homemade Energy Bars with Oats
    • Creamy Spiced Carrot and Lentil Soup
    • Easy Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans
    • One-Pot Tofu Pumpkin Curry with Coconut Milk
    171 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      I accept the Privacy Policy

      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Bethany Rutledge says

      June 12, 2019 at 4:56 pm

      Oh my gosh, that looks delicious. Since it only has three ingredients, I might actually try it! Thanks.

      Reply
      • Stephanie McKercher, RDN says

        June 13, 2019 at 11:09 am

        Thanks, Bethany! Let me know if you try it.

        Reply
    2. Abbey Sharp says

      June 11, 2019 at 1:50 pm

      Mmm this is one of my fave pasta dishes! Love that you snuck in some spinach!

      Reply
      • Stephanie McKercher, RDN says

        June 12, 2019 at 9:16 am

        Gotta get in those green veggies where you can!

        Reply
    3. Jana says

      June 11, 2019 at 5:21 am

      It looks beautiful AND delicious.

      Reply
      • Stephanie McKercher, RDN says

        June 11, 2019 at 7:03 am

        Thanks so much, Jana!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hello! My name is Stephanie. I'm a registered dietitian, recipe developer, and cookbook author. Here on Grateful Grazer, you'll find easy, plant-forward recipes, vegetarian nutrition information, and approachable guides to meal planning and prep.

    Learn more →

    Popular Right Now:

    • 31 Best Healthy and Easy Vegetarian Lunches for Work
    • Berry Coconut Water Smoothie
    • One-Pot Yellow Split Pea Soup
    • Vegetarian Freezer Meals
    • Easy Edamame Crunch Salad
    • Vegetarian Grocery List and Shopping Tips
    • Vanilla Matcha Latte
    • Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Chickpeas and Lemon Tahini

    Vegetarian Meal Prep:

    • Mediterranean Lentil Salad with Feta and Mint
    • Forbidden Black Rice and Beans with Mango
    • Overnight Mango Banana Chia Pudding with Coconut Milk
    • How to Press Tofu

    Footer

    Grateful Grazer

    • About
    • Blog
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe

    Work with Me

    • Media Partnerships
    • Media Highlights
    • Contact

    Resources

    • FREE: 100+ Meal Prep Ideas
    • FREE: Grocery List
    • Meal Prep Ebook
    • Cookbook
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • TikTok

    Health information is for educational purposes only. Nutrition facts are estimates only.

    Privacy Policy | Disclosure Policy | Terms and Conditions

    Copyright © 2022 The Grateful Grazer, LLC