Description
Pasta alla Gricia is a simple yet classic Roman pasta dish made with spaghetti, Pecorino Romano cheese, black pepper, and sautéed onions and mushrooms for a vegetarian twist. Creamy, peppery, and deeply satisfying, it’s the perfect expression of Italian comfort food and simplicity.
Ingredients
1 lb (450 g) spaghetti
150 g diced mushrooms
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
100 g grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add sliced onion and cook slowly, stirring often, until golden and soft, about 5–6 minutes.
- Add diced mushrooms to the pan and cook over low to medium heat until tender and their juices have evaporated.
- Cook the spaghetti in the boiling water until al dente, according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Transfer the cooked pasta to the skillet with the mushrooms and onions. Toss together over medium heat, adding small amounts of the reserved pasta water to create a light, creamy coating.
- Remove from the heat and sprinkle in grated Pecorino Romano and plenty of black pepper. Toss well until the cheese melts and forms a glossy sauce. Add a little more pasta water if needed to adjust the consistency.
- Serve immediately with extra Pecorino and black pepper on top.
Notes
Use rigatoni or tonnarelli instead of spaghetti for a heartier version.
Add chili flakes for a touch of heat.
For an ultra-creamy sauce, add the cheese gradually while tossing off the heat.
Reheat leftovers gently with a splash of pasta water to loosen the sauce.
Pair with a crisp green salad or grilled vegetables for a balanced meal.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 62 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
