What to Serve with Cacio e Pepe: 8 Best Side Dishes (2024)

Name: 8 Best Sides for Cacio e Pepe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Side Dish
Ingredients: Fried Zucchini; Cornbread; Stuffed Mushrooms; Wedge Salad; Avocado Salad; Baked Eggplant; Grilled Cheese; Caprese Salad

Updated Jan 17, 2023Recipe Marker

Are you trying to decide what to serve with Cacio e Pepe? Stick around as we share a list of the most popular side dishes that go well with Cacio e Pepe.

Craving for a spicy and cheesy dish like cacio e pepe? Why not try it with other delicious sides to complete the table? The spiciness of Cacio e Pepe makes it a great first course for a wide variety of meals.

Though it can stand out on its own, several side dishes will perfectly match its cheesy-spicy flavor. Let’s find out more about it here.

Best Sides to Serve with Cacio e Pepe

1. Fried Zucchini

The combination of fried zucchini and parmesan cheese is a popular accompaniment to many different dishes.

The dish has a delicate flavor and a faint crunch to the bite, and it is extremely delicate and airy.

Fried zucchini medallions are prepared by slicing the vegetable into thin ribbons before coating them in a breadcrumb and parmesan cheese coating.

Using this with Cacio e Pepe is a stunning combination. It enhances the dish’s sweetness and saltiness, while the parmesan cheese provides a tangy note.

2. Cornbread

Cornbread is simple to prepare. Have it with mashed potatoes and gravy over chicken-fried steak–it’ll be a perfect match for your cacio e pepe.

So to do this, first, you need to make sure your oven is preheated at 400 degrees. A baking pan, the size of your choice, should be greased and put aside.

The next step is to mix cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a big basin. Then, in a large mixing bowl, combine milk, eggs, oil, and honey.

Stir everything together with a spoon or whisk. Carefully transfer the batter to the prepared pan, taking care not to overfill it with grease.

Lastly, place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

3. Stuffed Mushrooms

The great thing about stuffed mushrooms is that they pair well with cacio e Pepe whether you serve them as a side dish or include them in the main meal. Stuffed mushrooms are very easy to prepare.

In fact, you can have this prepared in just 15 minutes or less. All you need to do is to prepare your ingredients, such as mushrooms, green onions, parmesan cheese, and seasonings.

4. Wedge Salad

The wedge salad is made with fresh iceberg lettuce, juicy cherry tomatoes, and tangy blue cheese dressing. It’s easy to create and customizable to your tastes.

The blue cheese dressing can be either store-bought or prepared at home.

Blue cheese may be swapped out with other cheeses like feta or cheddar. In terms of variations, this salad has no limits.

The wedge salad topped with blue cheese ranch is a simple yet satisfying salad option. You can count on it to be a hit no matter the event.

5. Avocado Salad

The preparation of avocado salad is as simple as it is nutritious. All you have to do is mix the avocado and tomato chunks with the lime juice, salt, and pepper.

The end product is a salad that is both healthy and refreshing, ideal for any meal, especially for cacio e pepe.

An avocado salad works well as both an entrée and a side dish. It is also suitable for a picnic basket or lunchbox. These salad ingredients provide a nutritional punch.

Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamins A and C, while avocados are great sources of fiber and healthy fats.

6. Baked Eggplant

The luscious texture and rich flavor of baked eggplants make them a perfect side to a variety of main courses, including cacio e pepe.

Eggplants can be halved or quartered depending on your preference.

To have this, all you need to do is put them on a baking pan and sprinkle them with salt before baking them in the oven. Then, sprinkle over some vinegar, olive oil, and fresh basil leaves before serving.

The cooked eggplants provide a subtle, soft sweetness to the savory Cacio e Pepe, making the dish irresistible.

7. Grilled Cheese

It’s no secret that many people love a classic and tasty grilled cheese sandwich. You can use it as a side for your chicken-fried steak and mashed potatoes.

Moreover, the flavorful, salty gravy will go wonderfully with the cheesy, creamy sandwich.

To have this, you need to butter one side of two slices of bread for each sandwich you wish to create, and then cook the bread in a skillet or on a grill pan.

Using medium heat, sandwich a slice of cheese between two pieces of buttered bread. Lastly, carefully turn the bread over with a spatula after it has a little browning on one side.

8. Caprese Salad

The classic Italian salad known as Caprese is composed of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and sweet basil, and is topped with olive oil, salt, and vinegar. In restaurants, it is typically served in a plate arrangement.

Caprese salad is at its best when made with the freshest ingredients. With its fresh ingredients, you can surely come up with the best Caprese salad side dish for cacio e pepe.

Conclusion

Cacio e pepe is a cheesy pasta made with cheese and black pepper. Though you can eat it alone and get satisfied with its delicious flavor, you can also serve it with other sides to level up your meal.

We hope that the list provided here has helped you decide what side dish to try next along with your Cacio e pepe.

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