Cacio e Pepe Mashed Potatoes

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Cacio e Pepe Mashed Potatoes

Thanksgiving is merely a few weeks away and we gotta get ready! Today I couldnโ€™t be more excited to share these Cacio e Pepe Mashed Potatoes with you all. Theyโ€™re buttery, peppery, slightly tart and utterly perfect.

For this post, I teamed up with Le Creuset!! Woohoo! I have always loved my Le Creuset cookware and have used it all up on this blog over and over and over again. Le Creuset is truly my kitchen ally. I love it for numerous reasons but here are just a few:

– My Le Creuset cookware is incredibly multi-functional. I use the Dutch ovens to make everything from arroz con pollo to soups toโ€”in this caseโ€”boiling potatoes.
– Since Le Creuset is so beautiful, itโ€™s easy to take it from oven or stove directly to the table.
– The enamel coating on the inside of their cookware make them super easy to clean. A few light scrubs and BOOMโ€ฆsqueaky clean, looking like new!

In this post, Iโ€™m using their gorgeous Dutch oven in the color Truffle. And while I absolutely think itโ€™s possible to put the Dutch oven on the table, it was a bit dark inside and wasnโ€™t photographing the way I wanted so I transferred it to the 2 1/4-quart braiserin Persimmon.

These fall colors are a gorgeous addition to my Thanksgiving autumnal table.

I think itโ€™s time to jump into the mood!

What is Cacio e Pepe?

Letโ€™s tackle the basics: Cacio e Pepe which literally translates to โ€œcheese and pepper.โ€ It’s a dish that hails from Rome, italy and itโ€™s typically super simple. It involves a bucatini pasta tossed in a simple sauce of Pecorino Romano, black pepper, salt and starch water from boiling the pasta. Itโ€™s ridiculously simple but like all simple dishes, the technique and precision is everything.

Obviously, this post is about mashed potatoes so thereโ€™s no pasta involved. Weโ€™re simply taking those super simple flavors and adding them to Creamy Mashed Potatoes which will result in Cacio e Pepe Mashed Potatoes!

How to Make Creamy Mashed Potatoes?

There are tenets that I believe are super important with making super creamy, delicious mashed potatoes. Here they go!

  • Start with cold water. And then add the potatoes. This makes ensure even cooking of the potatoes.
  • Use a ricer. I cannot tell you how important this is. It makes a super fine potato and when you mix it together, it stays so fluffy and vibrant. If you donโ€™t own one, then use a masher!
  • Add something tart. Whether itโ€™s creme fraiche, buttermilk, sour cream or cream cheese. You need something to cut through the richness.
  • Of course, you need the one ingredient that makes everything amazing at Thanksgiving: butter. Yes, I like to add softened butter or melted butter.
  • And I believe you need a little something else. Whether thatโ€™s a fresh herbโ€”or in this case, toasted peppercorns and ground up and a good amount of Pecorino Romano.

I added a few spoon swoops with a big spoon, and poured some melted butter on top.

Iโ€™ll be making it on Insta Stories today, so be sure to check it out over there!

Cacio e Pepe Mashed Potatoes
Cacio e Pepe Mashed Potatoes

More Cozy Recipes

5 from 4 votes

Cacio e Pepe Mashed Potatoes

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Cacio e Pepe Mashed Potatoes is made from Yukon gold potatoes. The freshly toasted cracked freshly black pepper and Pecorino Romano add such delicious depth to these fluffy creamy mashed potatoes.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 potato ricer
  • Measuring cups

Ingredients 

Instructions 

Toast the Peppercorns:

  • In a small saucepan, set over medium heat, add the peppercorns. Toast for about 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant. Pour the peppercorns into mortar and pestle. Alternatively you could add it to a spice grinder or pepper grinder. Mash up the peppercorns until all crushed. Set aside.
  • To Make the Potatoes:
  • In a 4-quart Dutch Oven, fill it up about 3/4 of the way with cold water. Peel the potatoes and place them in the Dutch Oven and set it over medium-high heat. Bring the potatoes to a boil and then bring down the heat to medium-low. This should keep them at a nice, steady simmer. Cook until very soft, about 35 minutes.ย Give them a taste and make sure theyโ€™re VERY soft. Pour the potatoes into a colander and immediately run them under cool water. Then immediately run the potatoes through a ricer, in batches, into the Dutch Oven.ย Repeat this step until youโ€™ve worked your way through all of the potatoes.

To Mix Up the Potatoes:

  • In the pot with the mashed potatoes, pour in the buttermilk, softened butter, half of the ground up pepper, a few pinches of salt and heavy cream; mix it all together until smooth. Give it a taste and adjust the salt and cheese according to taste. I added about 2 teaspoons of salt in total.
  • To Serve:
  • Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan. Make some swoops in the tops of the potatoes. Pour the melted butter on top and then add a few pinches of freshly ground pepper and the remaining 1/4 cup of Pecorino Romano.

How to Make Ahead and Reheat:

  • Make the recipe straight through and then allow to come to room temperature. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge up to 2 days ahead.
  • When youโ€™re ready to serve:ย Add a few tablespoons of heavy cream to the bottom of a medium-sized pot and place it over medium-low heat. Add the cold potatoes and cover the pot. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes and then stir them. Cover the pot again and allow to warm up for about 3 to 4 minutes. Repeat until the potatoes are warm.
  • You can also microwave them lol.

Nutrition

Serving: 6g | Calories: 230kcal

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Thanksgiving
Like this Recipe? Please Rate & comment below!
Cacio e Pepe Mashed Potatoes

Cozy Latin-Inspired Comfort Food Recipes

Hi! I'm Adrianna and this is my cozy space on the internet that is super-charged by butter, flour and copious amounts of pasta. Stay awhile, will you!

5 from 4 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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3 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Hey Cozy Kitchen !

    Great looking recipe that I plan on making for Thanksgiving but clarify one thing for me.

    Do you guys recommend a gravy for this dish or will the potatoes stand on their own?