Cacio e Pepe, which translates to "cheese and pepper," is a timeless Roman pasta dish celebrated for its simplicity and bold flavors. Traditionally made with spaghetti or tonnarelli, this recipe uses orzo to make a modern spin on the classic. This rice-shaped pasta absorbs flavors beautifully, creating a creamy, comforting dish perfect for any occasion.
I love a good comforting bowl of pasta, and this one-pot Cacio e Pepe Orzo is my answer to a lazy girl meal which is hearty and comforting! It is super easy to make, cheesy and peppery. What's not to love? You can make it as creamy as you like! My family loves the semi-creamy consistency of orzo.
Imagine the comforting flavors of traditional Italian Cacio e Pepe—rich Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly cracked black pepper, and silky, starchy pasta water—but with a creamy, risotto-like twist. That’s exactly what you get with Creamy One-Pot Cacio e Pepe Orzo. This dish combines the Roman classic's simplicity and bold flavors, while the orzo adds a delightful, creamy texture perfect for quick weeknight dinners.
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What Is Orzo?
Orzo is a type of pasta shaped like large grains of rice. Despite its appearance, it's made from semolina flour from durum wheat. Orzo is incredibly versatile—it can be used in soups, salads, casseroles, and creamy dishes like risotto. Its small size allows it to absorb flavors beautifully, making it perfect for one-pot recipes like this Creamy Cacio e Pepe Orzo. If you haven't tried Orzo yet, this is your sign to try it. It is the ultimate comfort food during cold evenings!
You can also use Orzo in salads, and soups too. But I think it tastes best when made into a creamy one-pot pasta dish.
Want to try more easy pasta recipes that are low effort and delicious, here's a few recipes you might like.
What is Cacio e Pepe?
Cacio e Pepe, a traditional Roman pasta dish, translates to "cheese and pepper" in Italian. It showcases simplicity with just three key ingredients: Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly cracked black pepper, and pasta. The dish achieves its magic by emulsifying the starchy pasta water with the cheese and pepper, creating a rich, velvety sauce without using any cream or butter.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This recipe is a one-pot wonder and, hence requires minimal cleanup
- Love how quick and easy this recipe is to make.
- Orzo naturally is beautifully starchy. So you don't need any extra milk or cream to make it rich
- You can either serve it as a main dish or as a side.
Ingredients To Make One Pot Cacio e Pepe Orzo
Orzo - You will need 2 cups of orzo pasta for this recipe.
Olive Oil - Use good quality cooking olive oil for this recipe. It adds a delicious flavor to this pasta dish.
Aromatics - I am adding onions and garlic to the recipe to add depth of flavor to this creamy orzo recipe.
Vegetable Broth - I am a vegetarian so I am using vegetable broth, but if you eat meat, you can use chicken broth for this recipe.
Black Pepper - To get the most flavor use freshly crushed black pepper for this recipe.
Salt - We know we need salt to season the pasta.
Pecorino Romano - Use good quality Pecorino Romano cheese, and grate it finely. This cheese is quite salty so you will need very little salt to season this recipe. You can substitute Parmigiano Reggiano aka parmesan cheese.
Butter - I like to add butter in the end to add richness to this recipe.
Step-By-Step Recipe To Make Cacio e Pepe Orzo
Add 5 cups of vegetable broth to a sauce pan and bring it to a rolling boil.
While the broth is heating up, in another heavy bottom pot, saute half a tablespoon of freshly crushed black pepper in a heavy bottom pan on a low flame for 30 seconds or until aromatic.
Next add in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add a third of a cup of finely chopped sweet onions and a tablespoon of garlic paste.
Saute until the onions soften and are golden brown.
Add the orzo and sauté for 2-3 minutes until it’s lightly toasted and golden.
Add the warm broth. Stir frequently. Cook until the orzo is creamy.
Once the orzo absorbs ¾th of the broth, add butter to add a layer of richness to the creamy orzo.
Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the freshly cracked black pepper and grated Pecorino Romano. Mix well until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes creamy.
Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and more pepper if needed. For a fresh twist, add a squeeze of lemon juice or garnish with parsley.
Expert Tips To Make This One Pot Creamy Orzo
- Use freshly cracked pepper, it is more flavorful and aromatic. Toasting the black pepper adds a beautiful flavor to the cacio e pepe sauce.
- Traditional cacio e pepe recipe doesn't use onions and garlic. I like the flavor it adds to this recipe.
- Toast the orzo until it is golden. This takes about 2-3 minutes.
- I like to finely grate the fresh cheese. I am using pecorino romano. It adds the right saltiness and sharpness the recipe needs. You can also use parmesan cheese as a substitute.
- The cheese in cacio e pepe doesn't like the heat, so turn the flame to low when you add the cheese. Add in segments so the cheese melts beautifully and adds to the creaminess to this orzo pasta recipe.
- If the orzo thickens too much, add a splash of warm broth to loosen it up. You can adjust how creamy you want your orzo to be.
Serving Suggestions
Pair with roasted vegetables or a crisp green salad.
You can also pair it with hearty bean soup.
Storage Instructions
As mentioned above, this cacio e pepe orzo sauce thickens as it sits. You can store it in an airtight container for upto 2-3 days in the refrigerator. You can reheat it by adding some water in the orzo. Reheat the orzo using either a microwave or stove top.
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Cacio e Pepe Orzo
These nutrional values are automatically generated. Use them for estimation only.
Equipment
- 1 Heavy Bottom Pot To cook the orzo
- 1 Sauce Pan To heat up the broth
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Black Pepper
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- ⅓ Cup Onions finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic Paste
- 2 Cups Dry Orzo
- 4 Cups Vegetable Broth Add more to make it more creamy if needed
- ½ Cup Pecorino Romano Add Parmesan Cheese as a substitute.
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt Adjust salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat up 5 cups of broth in a saucepan. Bring it to a rolling boil.
- In another heavy bottom pot, saute half a tablespoon of freshly crushed black pepper in a heavy bottom pan on a low flame for 30 seconds or until aromatic.
- Next add in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add a third of a cup of finely chopped sweet onions and a tablespoon of garlic paste.
- Saute until the onions soften and are golden brown.
- Add the orzo and sauté for 2-3 minutes until it’s lightly toasted and golden.
- Add the warm broth. Stir frequently. Cook until the orzo is al dante and creamy.
- Once the orzo absorbs ¾th of the broth, add butter to add a layer of richness to the creamy orzo.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the freshly cracked black pepper (½ tablespoon) and grated Pecorino Romano.
- Add the freshly grated cheese in small segments to make sure the cheese melts evenly with the orzo.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and more pepper if needed. For a fresh twist, add a squeeze of lemon juice or garnish with parsley.
Notes
- Use freshly cracked pepper, it is more flavorful and aromatic. Toasting the black pepper adds a beautiful flavor to the cacio e pepe sauce.
- Traditional cacio e pepe recipe doesn't use onions and garlic. I like the flavor it adds to this recipe.
- Toast the orzo until it is golden. This takes about 2-3 minutes.
- I like to finely grate the fresh cheese. I am using pecorino romano. It adds the right saltiness and sharpness the recipe needs. You can also use parmesan cheese as a substitute.
- The cheese in cacio e pepe doesn't like the heat, so turn the flame to low when you add the cheese. Add in segments so the cheese melts beautifully and adds to the creaminess to this orzo pasta recipe.
- If the orzo thickens too much, add a splash of warm broth to loosen it up. You can adjust how creamy you want your orzo to be.
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