Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino

spaghetti aglio e olio in a white bowl with a fork.

5 from 1 vote

Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino

Don't let the minimal ingredients in this classic Italian dish fool you—this simple pasta is full of flavour. Made with just spaghetti, olive oil, garlic, and chili flakes, this pasta makes the perfect 10 minute dinner or midnight snack, as the Italians enjoy it. It is naturally dairy-free and vegan, and can easily be made gluten-free.

Cook Time10

Total Time10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 610kcal

Author: Olivia Parsons

Ingredients

225 g spaghetti or any long pasta, plus salt for the cooking water.
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2-4 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon red chili flakes
Chopped parsley optional
Grated parmigiano reggiano or pecorino romano optional

Instructions

Fill a large pot with water and set to boil. Once boiling, generously salt the water and add the pasta. Cook according to package instructions, minus 1 minute.
Once the pasta is placed in the water, begin to warm a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the olive oil to the pan. Once hot, add the minced garlic. It should sizzle lightly for 2-3 minutes and turn a golden colour. Turn the heat down if it fries and browns too quickly.
Add the chili flakes and toast for 1 minute. Add 1 ladle of pasta water and mix to start emulsifying.
Once nearly cooked, use tongs to add the pasta directly from the pot. Add more chili flakes and parsley to the skillet and stir with tongs to emulsify the sauce, adding more pasta water as needed for it to glide.
Serve in a large bowl and top with more chili flakes, parsley, and/or grated parmigiano reggiano cheese. Enjoy!

Notes

Use gluten-free pasta if your diet requires. Be gentle as it can break if overcooked.
Err on the side of less oil vs more oil. You don't want the pasta to be dripping in oil.
If the garlic burns, re-start the sauce. You can't save burnt garlic.
The starchy pasta water is essential in emulsifying the sauce! You want all of the pasta to be lightly coated so it glides and twirls, without much dripping off.

Nutrition facts are an estimate.

Nutrition