Cacio e Pepe Mashed Potatoes are the ultimate Italian mashed potato recipe! Made with the beloved flavors of parmesan cheese and black pepper, you’re going to love these creamy and delicious mashed potatoes!
If you are looking to add new flavor to your mashed potatoes, you have to try this recipe. Perfect for Thanksgiving, holidays, or just a special meal, these Cacio e Pepe Mashed Potatoes are sure to be your new favorite!
For more delicious mashed potato recipes, be sure to try these Italian Mashed Potatoes or Boursin Mashed Potatoes. For a fluffy ricotta potato, give these Ricotta Mashed Potatoes a try. And, if you have baby potatoes, these Italian Roasted Potatoes are always a hit for any meal like this Italian Roast Turkey. For another delicious holiday side, be sure to try these Maple Cranberry Brussels Sprouts!
Why this Recipe Works!
Cacio e Pepe Mashed Potatoes is a delicious and fun way to change up mashed potatoes. Made with the classic cacio e pepe flavors of cheese and pepper, this is sure to be a new favorite recipe!
Served alone, potatoes can be bland and boring. But adding salty cheese and fresh ground black pepper can really elevate their flavor.
These mashed potatoes are a great side dish for a holiday meal, Thanksgiving dinner, or just a delicious weeknight meal. They are easy to make and always a fan favorite.
With only a few ingredients, it’s a simple recipe to put together. Plus, this recipe has been tested and perfected, so you can rest assure you’ll have perfect results every time.
Give these Cacio e Pepe Mashed Potatoes a try for your next get together. You’re going to love them!
Ingredients
To make Cacio e Pepe Mashed Potatoes you will need just six ingredients: russet potatoes, butter, half and half, grated parmesan, fresh ground black pepper, and kosher salt.
- Russet Potatoes: when it comes to mashed potatoes, russet potatoes are a great option. Yukon Golds are also great for mashing and is a great substitution here.
- Grated Parmesan: the cheese is the star of this recipe so try to use the best quality parmesan you can find. Ideally, Parmigiano Reggiano is the best for this recipe.
- Black Pepper: fresh ground black pepper really makes a difference in this recipe.
- Half and Half: half and half makes these mashed potatoes extra creamy. You can always substitute whole milk, or make it extra creamy and rich with heavy cream.
How to Make Cacio e Pepe Mashed Potatoes
Make these incredibly delicious and creamy Italian mashed potatoes in no time. All you need is a large pot or dutch oven and a potato masher.
Step 1: Peel the potatoes and cut into large chunks. You want the pieces roughly the same size so they cook at the same time. Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a low boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender; about 15 minutes.
Step 2: Drain the potatoes in a colander. Then return to the warm pot.
Step 3: To the pot, add the melted butter, grated parmesan, half and half, kosher salt and pepper.
Step 4: Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes and the ingredients until you reach desired consistency. A handheld mixer is another great way to mash and combine the ingredients together.
Spoon the potatoes into a serving bowl. Sprinkle on grated parmesan, fresh ground pepper, and top with a drizzle of olive oil or melted butter.
Recipe Tips
- Russet potatoes are great for mashed potatoes. Yukon Golds are a good substitute.
- The parmesan cheese is the star of this recipe. Opt for Parmigiano Reggiano if you can find it.
- Fresh ground pepper works best here. If you only have peppercorns, just crush them before adding them to the potatoes.
- No potato masher? Use your handheld mixer to mash the potatoes until desired consistency is reached.
- Keep your potatoes warm by serving them in a slow cooker set on the warm setting.
FAQs
Cacio e Pepe is a popular Italian pasta dish that literally translates to “cheese and pepper”. You can use this delicious combination in your pasta dishes as well as other recipes like mashed potatoes.
You can keep your Cacio e Pepe Mashed Potatoes warm by serving them out of a slow cooker on the warm setting. You could also place the covered bowl over a pot of simmering water to keep warm until serving.
You can make mashed potatoes up to two days in advance. When ready to serve, reheat in microwave, stopping to stir every 30 seconds, until warmed through. Taste for seasonings and add in extra melted butter and warm milk if they are stiff.
Similar Recipes
Got leftover mashed potatoes? Use them to make these delicious Mashed Potato Cakes!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or review in the comments section further down the page.
Cacio e Pepe Mashed Potatoes
Equipment
- large pot or dutch oven
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds russet potatoes (peeled and diced)
- ½ cup half and half
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese (plus more for topping)
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place the peeled and diced potatoes in a large pot filled with cold water. Bring to a low boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender; about 15 minutes. Drain and return to pot.
- To the potatoes, add in remaining ingredients. Use a potato masher or handheld mixer to mash the potatoes until desired consistency is reached.
- Transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl. Top with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, black pepper, and drizzle of olive oil or melted butter if desired.
Video
Notes
- Russet potatoes are great for mashed potatoes. Yukon Golds are a good substitute.
- The parmesan cheese is the star of this recipe. Opt for Parmigiano Reggiano if you can find it.
- Fresh ground pepper works best here. If you only have peppercorns, just crush them before adding them to the potatoes.
- No potato masher? Use your handheld mixer to mash the potatoes until desired consistency is reached.
- Keep your potatoes warm by serving them in a slow cooker set on the warm setting.
I would have never thought to add the cacio e pepe flavors to mashed potatoes but they work so well here!
Oh wow! Such wonderful flavors to pair with these mashed potatoes. They look so good and easy too.
Love mashed potatoes. I can’t wait to try your recipe. Thanks for sharing
The parmesan cheese made all the difference! Lovely recipe!
Parmesan makes everything better! 🙂