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    Home » Pasta Recipes

    Spaghetti Aglio e Olio Recipe

    Published: Jan 11, 2021 · Modified: Feb 3, 2025 by Silvana Nava · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe

    Spaghetti Aglio e Olio recipe is very simple to make. You need just few genuine ingredients for a guaranteed success!

    This recipe in Italy is called" Aglio Olio e Peperoncino." Yes, because chili pepper is the other key ingredient in this recipe. In fact, it's one of the traditional Italian dishes that has to be spicy. You can't remove the chili pepper, otherwise you make another dish!

    spaghetti aglio e olio 600x900 2

    Spaghetti aglio e olio is a pasta recipe born in Campania, a region in southern Italy. This recipe is a classic example of Italian cuisine that uses only a few simple ingredients.

    The protagonist is extra virgin olive oil, so make sure you choose one of excellent quality.

    Spaghetti with garlic, oil and red hot chilli pepper in Italy is a beloved dish that we often eat for dinner or as an impromptu midnight snack with friends. Four quality ingredients, a few minutes of time and you get one of the most famous first courses of the Italian culinary tradition.

    Spaghetti aglio e olio is a typical vegetarian dish of the Mediterranean diet, rich in flavor and healthy. This one we are about to show you is the authentic Italian garlic and oil pasta recipe.

    Easy, tasty and quick, let's see how to make spaghetti aglio e olio recipe. In 15 minutes you'll bring to the table a mouth-watering dish!

    READ: 10 Italian-Approved Spaghetti Recipes You Can't Resist

    spaghetti aglio e olio 600x900 1

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Storage
    • Variations and Tips
    • Recipe Card


    Ingredients

    • Prep Time: 5 Min
    • Cook Time: 10 Min
    • Servings: 4

    • 350 g (12 oz) spaghetti
    • 2 cloves of garlic 
    • 1 or 2 fresh hot red chilies or dried hot red chilies
    • 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
    • a handful of chopped fresh parsley (optional)

    Instructions

    spaghetti aglio e olio step 1

    Step 1) - Aglio e olio recipe is quick and easy to make. First we recommend that you cook the pasta.

    Then in a large pot, bring plenty of water to a boil. Remember the rule 1:100:10, that is for every 100 g (3,50 oz) of pasta you need 1 liter (4 cups) of water and 10 g (¾ tablespoon) of coarse salt.

    When it boils, add the coarse salt. Then add the pasta and cook the spaghetti, stirring occasionally.

    Follow the cooking time indicated on the package (usually 8 to 12 minutes).

    spaghetti aglio e olio step 2

    Step 2) - While the pasta is cooking, clean the garlic cloves. Cut them in half and remove the inner part. Finally cut the cloves into slices.

    The inner part is the heart of the garlic. It's usually greenish. It's best to remove it because it's not very digestible.

    Here's another suggestion. For those who like garlic but have a hard time digesting it. We recommend leaving the peeled cloves whole and removing them before serving.

    spaghetti aglio e olio step 3

    Step 3) - Then take the red chilies and cut them into thin slices.

    If you don't want too spicy a flavor, cut them lengthwise and remove the seeds. Then slice them finely.

    Traditional aglio e olio recipe is made with fresh chilies, which are commonly available throughout Italy.

    Since they are harder to find in some countries, dried chilies will do just fine.

    spaghetti aglio e olio step 4

    Step 4) - Heat 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan. Add sliced garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes.

    Be careful that it doesn't burn. Burnt garlic gives the dish a bitter taste that is very strong.

    Add the chili pepper and sauté for about 3 minutes.

    spaghetti aglio e olio step 5

    Step 5) - Cook the pasta al dente. When ready, drain the pasta. Transfer to the frying pan with the garlic and red hot chili. Stir and sauté the spaghetti in the pan for 1 minute so that they can absorb the flavors of the aglio olio sauce. Serve pasta aglio e olio really hot with a sprinkling of finely chopped fresh parsley.

    spaghetti aglio e olio 600x900 3

    YOU MUST ALSO TRY:

    • Carbonara
    • Marinara sauce
    • Cacio e Pepe
    • Spaghetti all’Assassina
    • Spaghetti allo Scoglio
    • Pasta Puttanesca
    • Spaghetti with Anchovies and Breadcrumbs

    Storage

    Pasta aglio e olio is one of those dishes that you must eat as soon as it's ready.. We don't recommend refrigeration and freezing.

    Variations and Tips

    There are many variations of this simple and classic recipe. Every region in southern Italy has its own version of spaghetti aglio e olio recipe. So let's look at some local Italian variations of this great pasta dish!

    • With Cherry Tomatoes: In Puglia, they often add fresh cherry tomatoes to make the dish tastier.
    • With Bread Crumbs and Anchovy: In Calabria, they add breadcrumbs and anchovy fillets: the anchovies melt together with the garlic and chili pepper dressing. The bread crumbs are chopped and toasted in a pan. Then spaghetti is seasoned with all these ingredients.
    • Pasta alla Carrettiera: The Sicilian variant is called "pasta alla Carettiera" and involves the addition of grated pecorino cheese and plenty of parsley.
    • Cheese: Some add grated pecorino Romano or Parmigiano before serving.
    • Chili Pepper: There are hundreds of varieties of red hot chili peppers all over the world. The dosage and taste is really subjective. In Italy the most used in recipes is the very spicy Calabrian red hot pepper. The amount given in the recipe is to give the dish a flavor that is not too spicy. If you like a very spicy taste, you can always add more chili to taste.

    In short, there is no rule! You can add so many ingredients to this classic basic spaghetti aglio e olio, according to local uses, traditions and tastes.

    spaghetti aglio e olio 600x900 2

    Recipe Card

    STEP BY STEP PHOTOS ABOVE!Have a look at my step-by-step photo instructions, variations and tips. That way, you can get it perfect the first time you try it!
    spaghetti aglio e olio

    Spaghetti Aglio e Olio Recipe

    Silvana Nava
    Spaghetti Aglio e Olio recipe is very simple to make. You need just few genuine ingredients for a guaranteed success!
    This recipe in Italy is called" Aglio Olio e Peperoncino." Yes, because chili pepper is the other key ingredient in this recipe. In fact, it's one of the traditional Italian dishes that has to be spicy. You can't remove the chili pepper, otherwise you make another dish!
    Spaghetti aglio e olio is a pasta recipe born in Campania, a region in southern Italy. This recipe is a classic example of Italian cuisine that uses only a few simple ingredients.
    5 from 4 votes
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    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 15 minutes mins
    Course pasta
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 4
    Calories 513 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 350 g spaghetti ¾ pound
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 2 chili peppers fresh or dried
    • 6 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
    • parsley a handful, chopped and fresh (optional)

    Instructions
     

    • In a large pot, bring plenty of water to a boil. When it boils, add the coarse salt. Then add the pasta and cook the spaghetti, stirring occasionally. Follow the cooking time indicated on the package (usually 8 to 12 minutes).
    • While the pasta is cooking, clean the garlic cloves. Cut them in half and remove the inner part. Finally cut the cloves into slices.
    • Then take the red chilies and cut them into thin slices. If you don't want too spicy a flavor, cut them lengthwise and remove the seeds. Then slice them finely.
    • Heat 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan. Add sliced garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes. Be careful that it doesn't burn. Burnt garlic gives the dish a bitter taste that is very strong. Add the chili pepper and sauté for about 3 minutes.
    • Cook the pasta al dente. When ready, drain the pasta. Transfer to the frying pan with the garlic and red hot chili.
    • Stir and sauté the spaghetti in the pan for 1 minute so that they can absorb the flavors of the aglio olio sauce. Serve pasta aglio e olio really hot with a sprinkling of finely chopped fresh parsley.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 100gCalories: 513kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 12gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gSodium: 6mgPotassium: 206mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 66IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword aglio olio, aglio olio e peperoncino, spaghetti aglio e olio
    Tried this recipe?Mention @recipesfromitaly or tag #recipesfromitaly!

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    Comments

    1. Adam says

      January 23, 2024 at 1:52 pm

      5 stars
      On Step 5 it says to saute over high heat, but doesn't provide a time. About how long should that be?

      Reply
      • Barbara Felicità Lucchini says

        January 23, 2024 at 4:00 pm

        Ciao Adam,
        1 minute, just to let them season. Anyway, I corrected it, thanks for your comment!

        Reply
        • Adam says

          January 23, 2024 at 8:30 pm

          5 stars
          Thank you so much! I can't wait try out this recipe. 🙂

          Reply
    2. Maddy says

      April 05, 2023 at 9:15 am

      5 stars
      Made this today! Quick and delicious meal with perfect amount of garlic flavour. Thank you for your informative and easy-to-follow recipes!

      Reply
      • Barbara says

        April 05, 2023 at 9:23 am

        Grazie Maddy!

        Reply
    5 from 4 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    Barbara & Silvana

    CIAO! Barbara & Silvana here! We are the authors of these amazing Italian recipes. Living in Italy, they are part of our culture, tradition and everyday life. And we want to share them with you all, straight from Italy! Learn more about us! Read our story!

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