Spicy Salami Spaghetti Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Salami hive, this recipe is for you. Inspired by classic aglio e olio but with a porky twist, this weeknight dinner involves very few ingredients and almost no effort. In fact, you can whip up the sauce in about as much time as it takes to boil pasta. For that reason, I highly recommend prepping the ingredients while the water comes to a boil. Once the pasta goes into the pot, queue the 10-minute dinner countdown.

Genoa’s got that quintessential salami vibe while still being mild—a blank meat canvas, if you will. But, feel free to play around with different varieties. Swapping in soppressata results in a spicier dish. Subbing the salami for pepperoni is perfect for nights when you can’t decide between pizza or pasta. Why choose?

For some spiciness, I added some chopped Calabrian chile peppers. If you can’t find a jar in your store (or you don’t have any on hand), use crushed red pepper flakes instead. Just add them to the oil along with the garlic so the heat permeates the dish.

Want to throw in some greens? You totally can. Thinly sliced fennel, shredded radicchio, or wilted kale are all welcome. But for me, six cloves of garlic and a sprinkle of parsley is all the vegetable matter I need. —Grant Melton

Directions

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, generously salt. Add the pasta and cook to al dente, reserving ½ cup of cooking liquid before draining.
2. Meanwhile, thinly slice the garlic. Slice the salami circles into ¼-inch strips and separate any stuck-together pieces. In a large sauté pan over medium-high, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and salami and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes, until the garlic is soft and the salami is starting to crisp. If the garlic begins to brown, you can lower the heat.
3. Drop the heat on the sauce to low, then add the cooked pasta, reserved cooking water, Parmesan, and Calabrian chiles. Toss and stir the pasta to coat evenly with the sauce.
4. Divvy the pasta into serving bowls and top with parsley, freshly ground black pepper if you’d like, and more Parmesan.