Vegan Cacio e Pepe

Jump to:

• What is cacio e pepe?
• Why you'll love this vegan version
• Ingredients you'll need to make cacio e pepe vegan style
• How to make vegan cacio e pepe
• Substitutions
• Equipment you'll need for this simple vegan cacio e pepe pasta recipe
• Storing and reheating
• Vegan pasta recipe tips
• Vegan Cacio e Pepe

What is cacio e pepe?

Traditional cacio e pepe is a classic Italian pasta dish originating in Rome which translates to "cheese and pepper" in English.

It's an elegant, yet simple dish to make consisting of spaghetti, Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper with the "sauce" forming from the addition of some of the starchy pasta water from cooking the pasta.

Of course, this version has been veganized and in place of the Pecorino Romano, it's made using a half batch of our pumpkin seed Parmesan.

Growing up enjoying Italian and Italian-American dishes has inspired me to veganize my favorites such as this pasta e ceci, vegan baked ziti, vegan lasagna, vegan lemon risotto and these Impossible Burger meatballs.

This veganized cacio e pepe is one of those pasta dishes that will impress but at the same time, is incredibly easy to make in under 30 minutes.

But shhh...you don't have to tell anyone. 😉

Why you'll love this vegan version

• You only need a handful of simple ingredients.
• Dinner can be ready and on the table in a half hour.
• You don't have to soak raw cashews to make a vegan cream sauce.
• It's a flavorful and delicious creamy vegan pasta dinner that the whole family will love.

Ingredients you'll need to make cacio e pepe vegan style

For the pumpkin seed Parmesan

• Raw Pumpkin Seeds
• Nutritional Yeast (to help give the dish a cheesy flavor)
• Sea Salt
• Garlic Powder

For the pasta

• Spaghetti (it's easy to make this recipe gluten-free if needed by using your favorite gluten-free brand of spaghetti)
• Olive Oil (helps keep the pasta from sticking)
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper (I used a tellicherry peppercorn grinder)
• White Miso Paste (adds creaminess and saltiness)
• Optional: Vegan Butter (use if you want it a little more creamy)

See recipe card below for quantities of this simple ingredient list.

How to make vegan cacio e pepe

Cook the pasta according to package instructions until just al dente.

Be sure not to overcook or the pasta can get too mushy and break up in later steps.

While the pasta is cooking, make the pumpkin seed "Parmesan."

Add the pumpkin seeds, nutritional yeast, salt and garlic powder to a food chopper or food processor.

Use the pulse or chop setting and process until the mixture is finely ground and resembles the size of grated Parmesan cheese.

When the pasta is done, reserve 2 cups of the pasta water and set aside before draining the pasta.

While the pasta is draining, heat olive oil in a deep, 10-inch sauté pan over medium heat.

Once the olive oil is heated, add the pepper and cook for one minute, stirring or swirling the pan frequently.

Add 1 cup of the pasta water and the miso to the pan.

Stir, breaking up the miso as you go, and simmer until the miso is almost all broken up and just about fully incorporated (approximately 2 minutes).

Add the cooked pasta (and the vegan butter, if using) to the miso mixture in the pan and coat with the sauce using tongs.

Turn off the heat and add ½ cup of the pumpkin seed "cheese" to the pasta.

Toss with tongs until well coated.

Add more of the reserved pasta water until a creamy sauce forms.

Top with the remaining pumpkin seed "cheese" and more pepper if desired.

Serve immediately.

Substitutions

• Spaghetti - Feel free to use bucatini instead if preferred. Use a gluten-free spaghetti to make this recipe gluten-free. I used Jovial brown rice spaghetti.
• Pumpkin Seed Parmesan - Feel free to use store-bought vegan Parmesan cheese instead if you'd like (grated or shredded are both good substitutes).
• White Miso - To make this recipe soy-free, you can use chickpea miso in place of the white miso.

Equipment you'll need for this simple vegan cacio e pepe pasta recipe

To make the pumpkin seed Parmesan, you will need a food chopper or food processor.

Storing and reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

The cheesy pasta is best reheated in a nonstick pan along with a few splashes of vegetable broth over medium-high heat until the broth is absorbed and pasta is warmed throughout.

Vegan pasta recipe tips

• You can add some extra heat to this incredible dish by using red pepper flakes.
• This is a unique cheesy sauce because of the pumpkin seed Parmesan as many other easy vegan cacio e pepe recipes suggest that you use sunflower seeds or cashew parmesan to make the sauce.
• I suggest paying attention to how much salt you use when boiling the pot of water for the pasta since we are using miso which is salty already. Start with a little salt and then you can add a little bit more into the dish as you see fit, later.
• Add some freshly squeezed lemon juice for a nice tangy flavor.

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