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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
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📖 Recipe
Spaghetti Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino
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Ingredients
- 7 oz (200 g) spaghetti
- ¼ cup (4 tbsp) olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 red or green chili pepper seeded & thinly sliced
- ¼-½ tsp salt
- black pepper
- ¼ cup (4 tbsp) pasta water
- 2 tbsp parsley chopped
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salt water until al dente. Drain over a sieve.
- 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 drained 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 or this vegan parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Keeps fresh for 3 days. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Gluten-Free: Regular spaghetti can be replaced with gluten-free spaghetti (I love Barillas’s gluten-free spaghetti).
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