Spaghetti Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino

Italian Spaghetti Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino Recipe! The quickest spaghetti recipe with olive oil, garlic, and chili pepper!

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Alert: This Recipe is not suitable for a date night! 😉 

Italians do know how to cook! Spaghetti Aglio e olio is one of the easiest and quickest pasta recipes that comes with many beautiful flavors. It’s one of my go-to dishes at my favorite Italian restaurant that can easily be cooked at home.

Lots of thinly sliced garlic is fried together with chili pepper in a decent amount of olive oil. Add al dente cooked spaghetti, toss it, and you have such a lovely lunch or dinner!

But let me tell you, this recipe is neither suitable if you can’t stand a garlic odor that lasts for hours nor too much olive oil because both are used in excess. 

Just a little Italian refresher: Aglio means garlic, Olio is olive oil, and Peperoncino is the Italian name for chili pepper!

I love to serve this spaghetti dish with freshly grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. For a vegan version, use my vegan parmesan cheese recipe!

Ingredients

See recipe card for quantities.

• Spaghetti
• Garlic → Main ingredient! 
• Chili Pepper → Adds a wonderful mild spice! Seed the chili pepper beforehand. 
• Olive Oil → go for a high-quality extra virgin olive oil!
• Parsley → Italian flat-leaf parsley makes for a perfect finish!

Instructions

This visual step-by-step instruction will help you along the way – definitely recommended if you’re a cooking beginner! The exact quantities and everything else you need to know for the recipe can be found in the recipe card below.

• Bring a large pot of saltwater to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente (check the label for time specifications). Drain over a sieve! → Make sure to keep at least ¼ cup of pasta water before you drain your spaghetti.
• Heat a skillet with olive oil. Add garlic and chili pepper, fry for 5 minutes over medium heat. → Avoid frying over high heat! Otherwise, the garlic and chili pepper will burn quickly.

• Add the pasta and ¼ cup of pasta water, toss for one minute. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

• Sprinkle with chopped parsley and, if you like, grated parmesan cheese.

Hint: If you love your pasta al dente, slightly undercook them as they tend to soften a little when tossed with olive oil and pasta water.

Substitutions

• Parsely: substitute with fresh basil.
• Chili Pepper: can be omitted.
• Vegan: make sure to use egg-free pasta and use this vegan parmesan cheese for serving.
• Gluten-Free: the spaghetti can be replaced with gluten-free spaghetti (I love Barillas’s gluten-free spaghetti).

Variations

• Spicy – don’t seed chili pepper.
• Deluxe – add freshly grated parmesan cheese!

Storage

Store cooked spaghetti Aglio olio e peperoncino in an airtight container in the fridge. Good for 2-3 days. Reheat in a skillet with some water or in the microwave.

I don’t recommend freezing the noodles!

More Spaghetti Recipes You’ll Love

• Spaghetti Pomodoro
• Vegan Spaghetti Carbonara
• Vegan Lentil Bolognese
• Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta
• Baked Feta Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes
• Vegan One Pot Pasta
• Roasted Cauliflower Pasta with Garlic and Olives

📖 Recipe