Vegan Cacio e Pepe Recipe: Creamy Plant-Based Pasta with Black Pepper

This classic vegan cacio e pepe is rich, creamy, and cheesy-tasting without any dairy.

Easy dairy-free cacio e pepe

Traditional cacio e pepe comes from Lazio, Italy, and relies on three simple elements: pecorino Romano, freshly ground black pepper, and pasta such as spaghetti or tonnarelli. The name literally means “cheese and pepper.”

This dairy-free version recreates that familiar flavor using nutritional yeast or vegan Parmesan and a touch of onion powder in place of Romano, plus cashew cream for extra silkiness.

With minimal prep and only a few ingredients you’ll have a homemade plant-based meal that tastes indulgent—almost like something from a fine Italian kitchen.

Vegan cacio e pepe sauce — video

Above: step-by-step recipe video

Ingredients

This recipe keeps things simple—no cornstarch, cauliflower, miso, or silken tofu. You’ll need raw cashews or macadamia nuts, water (or a nondairy milk if you prefer), nutritional yeast or vegan Parmesan, onion powder, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Serve over pasta or roasted spaghetti squash.

Use raw unsalted cashews for best results; if your nuts are salted, reduce the added salt to taste. You can substitute 1/2 cup cashew butter if you don’t want to blend whole nuts. For a lower-carb version, use macadamia nuts. If you lack onion powder, swap in 1/2 a sautéed or roasted onion or a tablespoon of dried onion flakes.

Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to a week; reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave. Freezing is not recommended, as the texture changes.

How to make vegan cacio e pepe

Optional: soak the cashews or macadamia nuts in a bowl of water for an hour or two, then drain and pat dry. Soaking softens the nuts and yields a creamier sauce.

Blend the nuts with onion powder, a pinch of salt, ground pepper, nutritional yeast or vegan Parmesan, and about 2/3 cup water (or nondairy milk) in a high-speed blender until completely smooth. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, substitute 1/2 cup cashew butter and use any blender or food processor.

The sauce will appear thin right after blending but will thicken when heated or after chilling. Toss it with hot al dente pasta so the sauce clings to the noodles. Garnish with extra cracked pepper and a little vegan cheese if desired.

Serve over pasta, rice, shirataki noodles, or roasted spaghetti squash. It also pairs well with simple green sides such as kale chips or an avocado salad.

This recipe was adapted from a cashew alfredo base and the author’s vegan Alfredo variations.