Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino (spaghetti with garlic, oil, and chili peppers). It is one of the quickest, most simple pasta dishes you could ever make and one that will become a favorite because it tastes too good!
Song of the day: "Always Remember Us This Way" by Lady Gaga
[This post was first published on Feb. 2015, it has been updated for photos and writing].
That's a true classic in Italian cooking. Especially popular in Rome, where it is called 'ajo e ojo' and it is considered a late-night staple or an impromptu dinner. After coming home from dancing this dish would be a popular one for a late-night meal with friends. More so, for such a simple pasta with 5 ingredients, this Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino houses some pretty profound flavors!
Could never say no!
If you were to ask me if I wanted Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino (spaghetti with garlic, oil, and chili peppers), I would never say no: why, because this pasta is incredible. So flavorful and easy, with that perfectly cooked pasta, a real winner in my books. Furthermore, in less than 15 minutes you have a dish ready for the taking.
So let's recap: aromatic-check, flavorful-check, easy, and fast-check. Now I ask you, honestly, are you not craving a beautiful plate of this pasta? Well, you are in luck because today we are going to show you how easy it is and more so, Nicoletta is from Rome, Italy, and knows this pasta like the back of her hand!
Are you ready? Let's get to it, 'cause I am so hungry now!
The ingredients
It's hard to believe that few ingredients can create such a symphony of flavors, but they do.
- spaghetti
- extra virgin olive oil
- garlic
- chili peppers
- salt & pepper
- parsley
- Parmigiano/Pecorino (optional, but we always add it)
It's all about the aroma!
The smell of the garlic and chili peppers frying in the oil is sweet, spicy, pungent, and so delightful. Just pay attention not to burn the garlic, it would compromise the overall taste. I like slivering the garlic. It becomes somewhat crisp yet retains that lovely garlic flavor intensified!
'Al dente' is the only way!
Another important thing to pay attention to is the cooking time for the spaghetti. They have to be "al dente"; pasta cooked this way is not heavy in the stomach and your body will digest it quickly! It is best to finish the spaghetti in the saute pan so that the infused oil can coat the pasta and all the flavors can come together.
A quick tip!
If your pasta seems to be a little dry, a trick is to save some of the water the spaghetti cooked in and add it to the sautéeing pasta in the pan. Coat the pasta in the garlic, peperoncino, parsley, and olive oil sauce over low heat for a few minutes, if it seems dry this is where you want to add a bit of that pasta water, a tablespoon or so. Furthermore, add a sprinkle of Parmigiano or Pecorino, toss, then plate. Now you're ready to enjoy this simple yet flavorful Italian staple.
Time to eat!
Okay, do some finger and hand warm-ups, because we are going to do some twirling to get that spaghetti onto the fork and into our mouths. I am salivating, the aroma alone has me growling at the stomach. However, my first mouthful has me in heaven. The oil beautifully infused with the toasted garlic is wonderful, add in the spice from the red chilies really awakens my taste buds. I love how the pungent acidity of the cheese pairs so well with the sauce and pasta.
Speaking of the pasta, it is perfect, a nice toothy bite and so so flavorful and nutty. Let's not forget that parsley, just the balance of freshness needed to bring this Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino over the top.
In conclusion!
So you want a dish that is easy, quick, and tasty. Well, why not think Italian and put together a wonderful pasta dish like this. In my opinion, even tastier than fast food!
Give it a shot!
Enjoy!
P.S. Thank you Amore for all that you bring to my life!
Print
Spaghetti aglio olio e peperoncino (Spaghetti with garlic, oil and chili peppers)
Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino (spaghetti with garlic, oil, and chili peppers). It is one of the quickest, most simple pasta dishes you could ever make and one that will become a favorite because it tastes too good!
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2-3 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 180 g spaghetti
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, sliced
- a substantial pinch of red chili peppers
- 2-3 sprigs of parsley
- salt
- a dusting of Parmigiano/Pecorino, to finish
Instructions
- Start your good-sized pot of water on boil. Remember to salt the water.
- Drizzle olive oil into a sauté pan. Add the garlic cloves, sliced, the chili peppers, and 1-2 sprigs of fresh parsley. Heat on medium, and sauté for a few minutes. Turn off heat.
- Meanwhile, add the pasta to the pot of salted boiling water. Cook for 1 minute less than the time indicated on the package, drain but keep a cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Put the spaghetti back in the pan with the garlic, oil, and chili peppers, add some of the pasta water, sauté briefly till the "sauce" coats the pasta. Add some chopped parsley. Reserve some for the topping.
- Dust with grated Parmigiano/Pecorino and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Remember to not burn the garlic, this will produce a bitter taste to the oil.
Watch your pasta closely, even use a timer which works quite well. Taste your pasta to see where it is at.
Always taste the salted water, it should taste like a light broth.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: spaghetti, aglio olio, Italian food, easy meal, olive oil, garlic, red dhili flakes, peperoncino, fresh parsly, pecorino, parmigiano,
When I am not cooking, I enjoy playing musical instruments, singing, writing. I have learned over the years to live in gratitude and enjoy the moment.
Jim Delaney says
Ciao Nicoletta! This looks so appetizing, and all the ingredients are on hand, so guess what we're making for dinner today! cheers, Jim
Ciao Jim! That pasta dish is so tasty and so easy to make. Think you're going to love it! So happy you stopped by! 🙂
Varun Sharma says
spaghetti with chili peppers and garlic oil is so yum.
Thank you Varum, you have great taste buds!
Varun Sharma says
spaghetti with chili peppers and garlic oil is so yum and mouthwatering dish.
Thank you Varum, you are so right. For a pasta dish with very few ingredients it is smashing in flavor! It's the Italian way simple and flavorful!
Cheers!
Sharanpreet Kaur says
I love Italian food, and this spaghetti with garlic, oil and chili pepper looks appetizing.
Thank you! It is so simple, yet flavorful and aromatic. One of my all time favorite go to dishes!
Cheers!
Elise L. says
Even though there are many different recipes for this dish with mainly the additional ingredient differing, I've always loved the classic the most as it's rich in flavor and easy to prepare. So, thank you so much for sharing this!
★★★★★
Loreto Nardelli says
Your very welcome Elise. We too like the simplicity of this dish and feel there is nothing else that could enhance the tradition of this dish. Sometimes simple is best and most of all it tastes so so good!
Thanks for your thoughts!
Cheers!