Spaghetti aglio e olio with Cannellini Croutons
This one is a genuine weeknight hero for us. Aglio e olio is one of those Italian classics that proves you don't need much to make something seriously delicious, just great olive oil, loads of garlic, a little chilli heat, and perfectly cooked pasta. But we've taken it somewhere extra special by adding crispy cannellini croutons on top, golden, crunchy little bites of protein that make every forkful feel like a proper occasion. The contrast between the silky, glossy pasta and those crispy beans is honestly one of our favourite things we've ever put in a bowl. Make this tonight, you'll be so glad you did.
Before You Start
- Preheat oven to 200°C
- Large baking tray
- Large pot
- Large frying pan
- Microplane or garlic crusher
Ingredients
- 1 x 400g can of cannellini beans
- 1 tbsp mixed Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp Nooch
- 1 tsp salt
- olive oil
- 500g spaghetti
- 2 red chillis
- 8 cloves garlic
- third of a cup good quality olive oil
- big handful parsley
- 1 lemon
- Salt and pepper
Method
For the cannellini croutons
- Drain and rinse the cannellini beans then lay them on kitchen towel to dry them, you want them to be very dry at this stage so that they crisp up.
- Transfer to a baking tray and toss with the seasoning, Nooch, salt and a generous amount of olive oil.
- Transfer them to the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
Cook the pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
- Add the spaghetti and cook for 8-10 minutes until al dente.
Meanwhile
- In a large frying pan, heat up the oil on a low heat.
- Grate or crush the garlic and finely chop the chilli.
- Add the garlic and chilli to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally. If it colours too quickly remove from the heat until the pasta finishes cooking.
For the pasta
- Drain the pasta reserving a cup of pasta water then add the water to the garlicky oil, stir and let simmer for a few minutes.
- Chop the parsley and add to the pan with the pasta and a big squeeze of lemon juice.
- Toss everything together to coat the pasta, so that it is coated in the sauce, the starchy pasta water should help create a thick sauce.
Finish and serve
- Finish with black pepper and the crispy croutons.
Tips & Variations
- Dry those beans properly: We can't stress this enough. Spread the cannellini beans on kitchen towel and really pat them dry before seasoning. Any moisture left on them will steam in the oven instead of crisping up, and nobody wants soggy croutons.
- Don't rush the garlic: Keep your heat low when you're cooking the garlic in the oil. It should gently sizzle and turn pale golden over a few minutes. The moment it starts going brown it can turn bitter, and that will throw the whole dish off.
- Save more pasta water than you think you need: We always scoop out a big mugful before draining the spaghetti. You might not use all of it, but having extra there means you can loosen the sauce as much as you need to get it silky and perfect.
Why This Works
The trick with aglio e olio is patience with the garlic. You want it to turn soft and golden in the oil, not brown and bitter, so keep the heat low and take your time. The other thing that really makes this sing is the pasta water. Adding a good splash of that starchy cooking water to the garlicky oil is what creates that beautiful, glossy sauce that clings to every strand of spaghetti. And the cannellini croutons? Drying the beans really well before they go in the oven is the non-negotiable step that gets them properly crispy rather than just chewy.