Cacio e Pepe means "cheese and black pepper" in Italian. Grated Parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper are tossed with hot, buttered pasta or, in this case, spaghetti squash. It's decadent, yet healthy. Like adulting mac n' cheese. Quick and easy and ready in 15 minutes!
Total carbs 8g per cup, net carbs 6g
Low-carb, no carb? Fuggedaboutit! This dish is quick, easy, keto, low-carb, low-calorie, high-fiber, vegetarian and gluten-free. Mangia!
Recipe Ingredients
- spaghetti squash
You'll need 1 whole, cooked spaghetti squash. Since spaghetti squashes vary in weight and size, yours may yield more than 2 cups of cooked spaghetti squash "noodles". - butter or olive oil
I love butter. I used 3 tablespoons of creamy, tangy cultured butter per squash half. You may use more or less according to your tastes. Cultured butter is slightly acidic and balances out the richness of the fat. Or use olive oil if that is your preference. - Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
Hard, aged, salty cheese is used as umami seasoning, instead of salt. I used grated Parmesan cheese. People will argue that the traditional Roman Cacio e Pepe recipe calls for Pecorino cheese. Use that if you have it! - black pepper
Add as much freshly cracked black pepper as you like. - parsley
Garnish with chopped fresh parsley to add color and flavor.
How To Make Spaghetti Squash Cacio e Pepe
Follow these simple steps to make Spaghetti Squash Cacio e Pepe:
Start with hot, cooked spaghetti squash: Check out these tips on how to cook spaghetti squash.
Season the squash: Add butter directly to the hot squash noodles and let it melt. Add grated cheese and freshly cracked black pepper. Toss together. Top with more cheese and black pepper. Garnish with parsley.
That's it! Enjoy!
Things You'll Need
- fork
- butter knife
- bowl
Watch How To Make Spaghetti Squash Cacio e Pepe
Serving Suggestions
This is delicious as is. Serve this dish in the squash skins to make Cacio e Pepe spaghetti squash boats. Eat it from a bowl like adulting mac n' cheese. Or serve it as a side dish.
Storing Spaghetti Squash Cacio e Pepe
Spaghetti squash keeps and reheats well. You can make this ahead of time for meal prep or store away the leftovers.
Store in the fridge
Store cooked squash in a sealed container (or covered in plastic wrap in its skin) in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Store in the freezer
Store cooked squash in a sealed container or freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cacio e pepe is Italian for u0022cheese and pepper” in English.
This dish is made of pasta, in our case spaghetti squash u0022noodlesu0022, seasoned simply with grated Pecorino cheese and lots of fresh black pepper.
Although spaghetti squash does not taste like pasta, it has a mild, neutral flavor that makes it a great pasta substitute. The noodle-like strands hold pasta sauces really well.
Spaghetti Squash Cacio e Pepe
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
Cacio e Pepe means "cheese and black pepper" in Italian. Grated Parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper are tossed with hot, buttered pasta or, in this case, spaghetti squash. It's decadent, yet healthy. Like adulting mac n' cheese.
Ingredients
- 2 halves cooked spaghetti squash, shredded
- 6 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon parsley
Instructions
- Start with hot, cooked spaghetti squash halves. Use a fork to separate the flesh into noodle-like strings.
- Add butter directly to the hot squash noodles and let it melt.
- Add grated cheese and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Toss together.
- Top with more cheese and black pepper.
- Garnish with parsley.
Notes
- spaghetti squash
You'll need 1 whole, cooked spaghetti squash. Since spaghetti squashes vary in weight and size, yours may yield more than 2 cups of cooked spaghetti squash "noodles". Visit this post on How To Cook Spaghetti Squash for tips. - butter or olive oil
I love butter. I used 3 tablespoons of creamy, tangy cultured butter per squash half. You may use more or less according to your tastes. Cultured butter is slightly acidic and balances out the richness of the fat. Or use olive oil if that is your preference. - Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
Hard, aged, salty cheese is used as umami seasoning, instead of salt. I used grated Parmesan cheese. People will argue that the traditional Roman Cacio e Pepe recipe calls for Pecorino cheese. Use that if you have it! - black pepper
Add as much freshly cracked black pepper as you like. - parsley
Garnish with chopped fresh parsley to add color and flavor.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Microwave
- Cuisine: American
Cindy says
Thanks for the great recipe! Super delicious and helpful instructions too
laura says
Exactly the recipe I was looking for! My type one diabetic loves pasta this recipe helps him enjoy more dinner.
Sachi says
Yay! That's so good to hear!
Mandy Applegate says
I love cacio e pepe and using spaghetti squash is such a great idea!
Jennifer says
I love spaghetti squash and this recipe was a real winner! YUm!
Linda says
What a delicious recipe! So easy to make, flavorful, and low-carb!
Aimee B says
I’m loving all these spaghetti squash recipes!
Sachi says
Awesome! They are so versatile!
Aimee says
Love spaghetti squash and cacio e pepe! Such a great recipe.
Lynn Polito says
Yum! This is a fantastic low carb dinner idea!
Anne says
This is so good! Amazing how a few simple additions can make spaghetti squash so tasty.
Megan says
This is a great way to prepare spaghetti squash, thanks for the recipe!
Kathy Hester says
Great healthy pasta replacement - thank you for all the great ideas.
Robin Donovan says
I love spaghetti squash and this turned out so well!
Kim says
This was so delicious and easy! Thanks for the tips!
Sherry Ronning says
Your recipe was perfect for my farmers market squash!! Such an easy and delicious recipe!