These Cacio e Pepe Cheese Crisps are fun and fast to make for an easy, low- carb holiday appetizer with only three ingredients!
Cacio e Pepe Cheese Crisps
Cacio e Pepe is an Italian pasta dish with Pecorino Romano cheese and lots of black pepper. I created these cheese crisps as a simple appetizer with those ingredients minus the pasta, but I used more Pecorino than parmesan. Pecorino is more authentic and younger than most parmesans, so it’s moister, which makes it take a little longer to crisp up. These Cacio e Pepe cheese crisps are super crispy and fairly spicy, with a good amount of pepper. For another variation, try my Everything Parmesan Crisps.
Why This Recipe Works
- Easy Appetizer: With only three ingredients, these crisps are simple to make and are a great addition to any charcuterie board.
- Fast: These cacio e pepe parmesan crisps bake in only 10 minutes.
- Good for a Crowd: If you are serving these at a party, double or triple this parmesan crisp recipe to feed more people.
- Make Ahead: You can make this appetizer a couple of days before your event.
- Healthy: These crisps are high in protein and low in carbs since the main ingredient is cheese.
Parmesan Crisp Ingredients
- Cheese: Grate Pecorino Romano and parmesan cheese with the large holes of a box grater. Do not buy pre-grated! It won’t melt as well as freshly grated.
- Black Pepper: You’ll mix some freshly ground black pepper into the cheese mixture and top each with crisp with some more.
How to Make Parmesan Crisps
- Mix the Pecorino, parmesan, and pepper in a small bowl until well combined.
- Form the Crisps: Put a heaping tablespoon of the grated cheese mixture onto a lined baking sheet. Lightly pinch it with your fingers to make a compact mound. Repeat the process with the remaining cheese, placing each one at least two inches apart so they don’t bake together into one giant crisp. Top each one with a crack of pepper from a pepper mill.
- Bake the cheese crisps in the oven at 400°F for about 10 minutes, rotating the pan after five minutes. They’re ready once they’re golden and most of the bubbling on the surface has subsided (meaning the moisture has cooked off). Let them cool, and blot them with a paper towel if you like.
How to Serve Cheese Crisps
Do cheese crisps need to be refrigerated?
No, parmesan crisps don’t need to be refrigerated. Store them in an airtight container with wax paper between the crisps for up to a week.
More Holiday Appetizer Recipes You’ll Love
Yield: 6 servings
Serving Size: 2 crisps
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Position one rack in the upper third and one in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with foil or silicone baking mats.
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In a small bowl, mix the Pecorino, Parmesan, and pepper until well combined.
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Put about 1 heaping tablespoon of the grated cheese mixture onto one of lined baking sheets and lightly pinch with your fingers to make a compact mound.
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Repeat with remaining cheese, making 6 crisps per sheet and leaving at least 2 inches of space in between. Top each with 1 crack of pepper from a pepper mill.
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Bake for about 10 minutes, rotating the pans after 5 minutes, until they are golden the bubbling on the surface has mostly subsided (this means the moisture has cooked off).
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Cool completely, blotting with a paper towel if you like, before serving.
Last Step:
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Serving: 2 crisps, Calories: 58 kcal, Carbohydrates: 1 g, Protein: 3.5 g, Fat: 4 g, Saturated Fat: 2.5 g, Cholesterol: 13.5 mg, Sodium: 255.5 mg
