You want to create this fantastic Italian meal, but you’re not sure what to accompany it with. Look no further because we’ve compiled a list of 11 outstanding side dishes that will make your supper memorable.
Cacio e Pepe is a basic Italian pasta dish composed with spaghetti, pecorino romano (an Italian cheese), and black pepper. Cacio e Pepe literally translates as “cheese and pepper.”
Since the components for the meal do not deteriorate rapidly, it was popular among nomadic Italian shepherds. It is now a famous dish in Italy and is gaining popularity in the United States.
It’s delicious and easy, and it makes a fantastic appetizer for more intricate meals, but it may also be eaten on its own. Don’t be fooled by the dish’s simplicity. It has a lot of taste.
Contents
- What To Serve With Cacio E Pepe: 11 Amazing Side Dishes
- Conclusion
- FAQs
- Why is my cacio e pepe always stringy?
- What makes cacio e pepe so good?
- Why does cheese keep clumping cacio e pepe?
- What is the difference between aglio olio and cacio e pepe?
- How do you eat Trader Joe’s Cacio e Pepe ravioli?
- What is the difference between Cacio e Pepe and carbonara?
- What can I add to Trader Joe’s cacio Pepe?
- How do you use cacio e pepe from Trader Joes?
- What does Trader Joe’s cacio e pepe sauce taste like?
- Why is my Cacio e Pepe not creamy?
What To Serve With Cacio E Pepe: 11 Amazing Side Dishes
This simple spaghetti meal is high in carbohydrates. Serving side dishes with various dietary categories, such as vegetables and grains, helps to balance things out. The simplicity of Cacio e Pepe is its beauty. As a result, side dishes with a lot of components should be avoided since they might overcomplicate matters.
To balance off the harsher and peppery taste characteristic of Cacio e Pepe, provide side dishes with refreshing flavors. Colorful side dishes may bring a splash of color to a boring meal of pasta.
Here is a list of 11 suggested side dishes to go with Cacio e Pepe.
1. Lightly Fried Zucchini
Vegetables are an excellent accompaniment to pasta meals. Zucchini is an excellent option for a side dish since it is both healthful and nutritious. We suggest gently cooking your zucchini with cheese for this recipe.
Fried zucchini is a light and refreshing side dish that can complement any dinner. The delicate crunch and creamy cheese flavor are just amazing. The mellow flavor of the lightly fried zucchini complements the sharpness of the spaghetti sauce well.
2. Avocado and Tomato Salad
When considering what to serve with Cacio e Pepe, salads are a terrific alternative. They always go well with pasta, and Cacio e Pepe is no exception. Avocado and tomato salad is a light and healthful side dish that complements Cacio e Pepe well. It’s also tasty and simple to prepare.
The coolness of the avocado is balanced by the tanginess of the tomato and lemon juice. This provides much-needed taste depth to the Cacio e Pepe dish. It also gives your dish a splash of color.
3. Deviled Eggs
In Europe and North America, deviled eggs are a popular snack. This gorgeous and tasty classic is also one of the simplest side dishes to prepare.
The egg yolks mixed with mayonnaise and mustard provide acidic and salty delight. These tastes are unquestionably a marriage made in heaven when combined with the spicy Cacio e Pepe.
4. Caprese Salad
Salads complement pasta dishes well. Caprese salad, which consists of tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, sweet basil, and olive oil, is another Italian favorite. When used with Cacio e Pepe, it gives a fresh flavor to the meal.
The salad’s many hues placed on a platter are nothing short of stunning. The smooth texture of the mozzarella cheese compliments the Cacio e Pepe sauce, which is simple and straightforward to create. And the tomato’s subtle acidity cuts through the buttery pasta. Fresh basil enhances the taste and vibrancy of the dish.
5. Garlic Bread
If you’re not sure what to serve with Cacio e Pepe, try garlic bread. In fact, an Italian meal would be incomplete without this hidden treasure of a side dish. Garlic bread infuses the Cacio e Pepe with garlicky butter tastes.
The bread’s texture also lifts the pasta, counteracting the dish’s soft cheesiness. It may also be used to soak up the sauce, resulting in a taste explosion in your tongue.
6. Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan Cheese
Cauliflower is a healthy and simple alternative for a side dish when seeking for something nutritional and tasty. It’s light and gives wonderful flavor to any dish when roasted.
This side is elevated by the baked and caramelized parmesan cheese topping. The crispness of this topping contrasts wonderfully with the softness of the spaghetti dish. It’s the ideal marriage of tastes and textures.
7. Bruschetta
Bruschetta is an Italian side dish that is light and refreshing. It is created using French bread, pepper, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and aromatic basil leaves. This crunchy side dish adds acidity to the dish, which balances off the smoothness of the Cacio e Pepe.
Satisfying and high in vitamins, lipids, and fiber, bruschetta brings the tastes of nature to your plate. The flash of color is also quite appealing and goes well with Cacio e Pepe.
8. Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing
A traditional wedge salad is light and crunchy. It’s made of of iceberg lettuce with blue cheese dressing. It’s also often sprinkled with blue cheese crumbles and crisp bacon pieces. This contrasts well with the tastes and textures of Cacio e Pepe.
When served with your spaghetti, the lettuce is arranged on the dish as a wedge and provides color. The bacon’s saltiness and crunch enhance the spicy Cacio e Pepe. Blue cheese dressing is cool, creamy, and tangy. Its robust taste enhances the Cacio e Pepe’s butter and pecorino cheese.
9. Biscuits
When considering what to serve with Cacio e Pepe, biscuits with spaghetti may seem strange. They do, however, form an excellent combination. Biscuits go well with almost everything, and Cacio e Pepe is no exception.
The creamy and sweet biscuits provide a new taste aspect to the meal. And they soak up the Cacio e Pepe sauce wonderfully while providing texture to the meal.
10. Cucumber Salad
Cucumber salad is often accompanied with tomato, red onions, lemon juice, dill, and garlic. These ingredients work together to create a zesty, herbaceous taste that complements the aromas of Cacio e Pepe.
The cucumber also provides a refreshing counterpoint to the spicy pasta. It’s a satisfying and healthful side dish that keeps you from overindulging on pasta, which may contribute to weight gain.
11. Whole Roasted Carrots
Carrots are a delicious veggie that complements every cuisine. Roasting brings out the inherent tastes of these root vegetables and gently caramelizes them.
These colorful veggies are both healthful and easy to prepare. The carrots’ roasted smokiness enhances the peppery flavor of the Cacio e Pepe.
Conclusion
Cacio e Pepe is a simple meal that may be prepared at any time of year. Selecting a side dish that does not overpower the main course might be difficult. Yet, the 11 superb side dishes described above will perfectly compliment the taste and texture of the Cacio e Pepe.
- Pesto Pasta’s Complementary Dishes Pesto pasta is another traditional Italian pasta dish. Try these these sides the next time you want to make some quick pasta.
- Ravioli With Side Dishes Another meal that you may want to know what to serve with is ravioli, which is delicious, substantial, and more renowned than cacio e pepe.
FAQs
Why is my cacio e pepe always stringy?
On the other hand, if you overheat the cheese, the proteins will coagulate, leaving you with stringy, unsightly clumps of cheese and, once again, a broken sauce – here is where most cacio e pepe efforts fail. As you would expect, the key to perfecting the cheese is to get the temperature just right.
What makes cacio e pepe so good?
The internet loves three-ingredient recipes. This (which makes Cacio e Pepe deceptively easy) and the cheese + carbohydrates combo, as well as the fact that it can be cooked anywhere in the globe with any pepper and any cheese, are critical components of its media popularity.
Why does cheese keep clumping cacio e pepe?
How do you prevent the cheese in cacio e pepe from clumping?
Make use of high-quality ingredients.
Grate your own cheese…
Grate the cheese first.
Make use of finely shredded cheese….
DO NOT CHANGE THE AMOUNT OF WATER USED TO COOK THE PASTA.
Don’t set aside pasta water too soon.
Let the pasta water to cool.
Don’t pile on the cheese all at once.
More to come…
What is the difference between aglio olio and cacio e pepe?
A true Italian, on the other hand, will inform you that genuine cacio e pepe does not include garlic (or any other “fancy” toppings or additives). Aglio e olio pasta contains garlic (aglio = garlic). They both feature cheese and are frequently served over pasta.
How do you eat Trader Joe’s Cacio e Pepe ravioli?
The name literally translates to “cheese and pepper,” and that pretty well covers it up. It’s usually served with spaghetti, like in our frozen Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe.
What is the difference between Cacio e Pepe and carbonara?
Since there were no eggs to produce Carbonara, another very similar classic Roman meal, cacio e pepe (cheese and pepper), was formed. The fundamental component in both meals is powdered black pepper, which resembles mine dust.
What can I add to Trader Joe’s cacio Pepe?
A sprinkle of excellent EVOO, some freshly grated Pecorino, and a couple pinches of black or rainbow pepper. For color, I sprinkled some chopped arugula on top. Any addition to the two fundamental cacio and pepe components of cheese and pepper would be frowned upon by a Roman.
How do you use cacio e pepe from Trader Joes?
This is an easy dish to prepare. Although you can prepare this in the microwave in a couple of minutes, you can also make it in a saucepan. Just add a little amount of water to the pot, followed by the contents of the bag. Cover it and stir periodically, and you’ll have a supper ready in about 10 minutes.
What does Trader Joe’s cacio e pepe sauce taste like?
Trader Joe’s cacio e pepe sauce tasted like tinned Alfredo with a heavy dose of black pepper, in my view. It missed the delicious, pure cheesiness that I get when I make it from scratch, so I’m not sure I’d purchase it again.
Why is my Cacio e Pepe not creamy?
Elbow lubricant. Stirring is mainly responsible for the creaminess of Italian pasta recipes. Add part of the pasta’s cooking water to the sauce or condiment (in your instance, cacio e pepe). The outcome will be creamy if you stir like you’ve never stirred before.