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Pecorino Romano

Eggs & dairy · Hard cheeses

Pecorino Romano

Hard, salty Roman sheep's-milk grating cheese, essential for cacio e pepe, carbonara and amatriciana.

Also called: pecorino, romano

A kind of cheese

10 recipes with it

Photo: Jon Sullivan, via Wikimedia Commons (public-domain)

What it is

Pecorino Romano is a hard cheese made from sheep's milk, aged and salted into a dense, white to pale-straw wheel. It is sharper, saltier and more tangy than Parmigiano Reggiano. Other pecorinos (Toscano, Sardo) are often younger and milder.

How it’s used

  • Cacio e pepe, carbonara, gricia and amatriciana
  • Grated over beans, soups and roasted vegetables
  • Mixed with parmesan in pesto
  • Shaved over salads with pears or broad beans

Characteristics

Taste
Sharp, salty, tangy and slightly gamey.
Texture
Hard and crumbly-dense.
When cooked
Clumps readily in hot pasta water; mix finely grated cheese with a little cooled pasta water into a paste before tossing.
Sold as
fermented, ground
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Commonly cooked, Used as a garnish, Mainly a seasoning
Common in
Italian

Storage

Refrigerated. Wrap in waxed or baking paper and refrigerate; it keeps well because it is dry and salty.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Milk.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Contains milk (sheep's milk counts as a milk allergen).

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
387 kcal
Protein
31.8 g
Carbohydrate
3.63 g
Fat
26.94 g
Fibre
0 g
Sugars
0.73 g

USDA FoodData Central: Cheese, romano.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Parmesan — 1:1; add a little more salt and pepper for punch.

Related ingredients

Recipes with pecorino romano

More hard cheeses