Ciao！Make Your Own Southern European-Style Garlic Chili Spaghetti

Text & Photos /Nata

Cooking spaghetti requires skill—whether you agree with this statement or not, that’s my take. Master the basics: control the pasta, heat, and seasoning just right, and you can cook a plate of restaurant-quality spaghetti.

Today, I’ll teach you how to make the most basic “Garlic Chili Spaghetti” (Aglio Olio e peperoncino), also known as the “poor man’s spaghetti.” Don’t underestimate it just because it only has garlic and chili as ingredients—getting this dish to taste delicious requires expert-level stir-frying skills. It’s absolutely essential as an entry point for learning how to cook spaghetti.

In episode 7 of the Japanese drama “Dinner,” the spaghetti cooked by Chef Masashi Eguchi (played by Yosuke Eguchi) for his friend Haruto Kuroki was a non-spicy version—just garlic and oil (Aglio e Olio). That dish reminded Haruto of his childhood dreams and reignited his passion for sports. Isn’t that amazing? So I also call it the “essence of cooking.” To make a dish truly delicious, never underestimate seemingly simple foods. The simpler something is, the harder it is to get it right—and anyone who loves cooking will surely understand this truth.

By the way, according to the book “Meeting Delicious Spaghetti in Italy,” garlic spaghetti is a symbol of Southern Italian cuisine. The South is generally a bit less affluent than the North. In Sicily, garlic spaghetti is typically made with just garlic (no chili), while in Calabria, lots of small chilies are added along with garlic, creating a slightly different version. The one we’re demonstrating today is the spicy Calabrian style. Of course, if you don’t like spicy food, you can simply omit the chili.

Garlic Chili Spaghetti (Serves 2)
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Ingredients
Spaghetti 200g
Garlic 4 cloves, minced
Dried chili 2, deseeded and chopped (add more if you like it spicy; fresh chili can also be used)
Parsley 2 small sprigs (leaves and stems), chopped
Olive oil 3 tablespoons (preferably high-quality olive oil)
Black pepper To taste
Salt 2 teaspoons
Pasta water 400ml

Method:
Step 1. Fill a deep pot with 2000ml of water. Once boiling, add 20g of salt. Place the spaghetti bundle in the center of the pot and let go, allowing it to fan out. Cook for 1–2 minutes less than the package instructions.

Step 2. While the pasta is cooking, pour olive oil into a pan (do not turn on the heat yet), then add the minced garlic and deseeded chopped chili, letting them sit in the oil. Turn to medium-low heat and slowly sauté until fragrant.

The garlic and chili must never burn—just cook until the edges of the garlic are lightly golden brown. We want their aroma, not burnt flavors, so pay close attention to the heat control.

Step 3. Pour in the pasta water, turn to medium heat, and bring to a slight boil. Add 2/3 of the parsley, cook for about 2 minutes, then season with salt and black pepper.

Step 4. Before adding the pasta, turn the heat to high. When the sauce is boiling vigorously, immediately add the spaghetti. Turn off the heat, quickly stir with tongs to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce, and it’s ready to plate.

This step needs to be done quickly while ensuring the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce.

Once plated, garnish with a few fresh parsley leaves and serve while it’s steaming hot.

It may look simple, but if you stir-fry it well, the aroma of the garlic and chili will be fully absorbed by the olive oil, wrapping every springy strand of pasta. The fragrance is irresistible—you’ll almost forget how simple the ingredients are.

If, after eating, the bottom of the plate looks like this—with the sauce mostly clinging to the pasta and no watery sauce left behind—it means you’ve succeeded!

Nata the Tidy
Lifestyle Enthusiast & Cooking Researcher with Style