Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino is the ultimate Italian late night food! This recipe proves that you can count on your basic pantry staples to whip up something delicious, and in just 15 minutes!

I can’t begin to tell you how many times I came home from a night out with the girls, many glasses of wine down, and whipped this recipe up. There’s just something about this dish that tastes better after midnight! Can anyone relate? We would be in a cab or Uber heading back to the house after a long night out, and I would hear from the backseat: “Sam are you making Spaghetti Aglio e Olio or do we need to go to McDonalds?”, and of course the night always ended with the spaghetti.

What is Spaghetti Aglio e Olio?

Aglio e Olio simple translates to garlic and oil. Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is a traditional Neapolitan pasta that is popular for being inexpensive, uses pantry staples, can be made in about 15 minutes, and is absolutely delicious!

What you’ll need

Spaghetti: You can also opt for spaghettini, capellini or linguini.
Olive oil: Since this dish uses few ingredients, try to find the best quality of each.
Garlic: Don’t be shy! If you are going to load up the garlic in any recipe, this is it! Use between 4-8 cloves, just depending on how much you enjoy.
Peperoncini: Also known as: red hot chili peppers, takes this one to the next level! If you can find them in your local grocery store, pick them up! If not, you can always add extra crushed red pepper flakes.
Red pepper flakes: I like to use a mix of peperoncini and red pepper flakes which simmer in the olive oil, making the sauce taste perfectly spiced.
Parmagiano Reggiano: Be sure to use a high quality parmagiano-reggiano and grate it yourself using the smallest option on your box grater or handheld cheese grater (this helps the cheese melt seamlessly into the sauce).
Parsley: Don’t skip on the parsley, it adds a beautiful colour and freshness to the dish.
Salt: A key ingredient in this recipe! Be generous when you salt the pasta water, this will give the dish so much necessary flavour.

Looking for more pasta recipes?

I got you! Check out all of my Pasta Recipes right here on my blog! A few personal favs are:

• Spicy Shrimp Scampi
• Spicy Peanut Noodles
• Mushroom & Boursin Pasta
• Creamy Lemon & Spinach Tortellini
• French Onion Pasta
• Homemade Sunday Tomato Sauce

Tips before getting started

Have everything prepped: Since this recipe comes together really quickly, having everything ready will help.
Use high quality ingredients: This goes for the pasta, cheese and olive oil. Since this recipe doesn’t require a ton of ingredients, using high quality makes all the difference in a recipe like this.
Salt the water like the sea: Don’t be shy when it comes to adding salt to the water in this recipe, it needs it! With such few ingredients, it’s important to be generous here as the salt will enhance the flavour of the spaghetti.

Ingredients:

Here is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need to make my Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino. For the exact detailed measurements and ingredients, scroll to the bottom of this page to review my recipe card.

• spaghetti 
• olive oil
• garlic
• peperoncino 
• red pepper flakes
• fresh parsley
• parmigiano reggiano

Substitutions & FAQ’s

Can I use a different pasta in this recipe?
Yes! Capellini, spaghettini and linguini all work really well.
Do I need to add the fresh peperoncini in this recipe?
Lots of people don’t! Just add more red pepper flakes and you’ll still be left with a delicious spaghetti.
How long can I keep leftovers in the fridge?
I prefer this recipe fresh! Since this dish takes 10 minutes to make, I recommend serving this one fresh!
Can I add protein to this recipe?
You sure can! Chicken or shrimp pair really well.

Did you like this recipe?

If you enjoyed this Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino please consider leaving me a 5 star rating and review in my recipe card provided below, it means so very much to me!