Midnight spaghetti, or “spaghettata di mezzanotte,” is what Italians eat after a night of partying — it’s what you might call the ultimate pantry pasta recipe. It contains all the carby, salty, spicy, and garlicky deliciousness you crave!

A serving of garlicky spaghetti in a bowl, with a person's hand holding a fork and getting ready to twirl.

Hunger will strike at times other than the wee hours, so rest assured this is one of those magically quick meals you can turn to after a long day OR night. Midnight pasta hits the spot whatever time it is.

I already have a long list of Italian pasta dinners on this website, including another pantry dinner, pasta with canned tuna and sun-dried tomatoes. But let’s be real, you can never have enough pasta in your life.

Midnight pasta tips and opinions

  • Variations: The core of this recipe is basic as can be, dried pasta, olive oil, and garlic. But I’ve enjoyed versions of it with anchovies melted into the sauce, scrumptious toasted bread crumbs, and a quick pasta pomodoro sauce — basically whatever you can pull out of your fridge or off the pantry shelves.
  • Cheese: I turn to pecorino Romano, an aged sheep’s milk cheese that tastes sharp, salty, and robust. But it’s not a rule set in stone. Any cheese you can grate over the hot pasta is fair game: Think Parmesan, Asiago, or Manchego.
  • Type of pasta: Any type of long pasta cut will do the trick, but I prefer spaghetti or linguine. Remember you’re going for a super-satisfying slurp factor.
Spaghetti with garlic butter sauce on a platter, with a serving bowl on the side and a person's hand holding a fork and eating.
5 from 1 rating

Spicy Midnight Pasta with Pecorino

Karen Tedesco
Late-night pasta cravings? Meet your go-to meal, midnight pasta (pasta mezzanotte). It's spicy, salty, cheesy, and ridiculously delicious!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Leave a Review
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
 

For pasta:

  • Kosher salt
  • 1 pound dried spaghetti, or linguine
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2-3 grated garlic cloves, or enough to make 1 heaping tablespoon
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, more or less to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ¾ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, or Parmesan cheese (or a 50-50 mixture
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley

Instructions
 

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a small handful of salt, 2-3 tablespoons. Add the spaghetti or pasta of your choice and cook until al dente. Just before draining, scoop out ½ cup of the boiling pasta water and reserve.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the butter and extra-virgin olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat until the butter is melted. Stir in the garlic and cook until it starts to sizzle and smell delicious, about 30 seconds. Add the red and black pepper.
  3. Add the drained pasta to the sauté pan over low heat, along with ½ cup of the cheese. Dribble in 2-3 tablespoons of the pasta water, enough to blend with the cheese and coat the pasta. Stir in the parsley
  4. Serve in bowls, with additional cheese sprinkled over.

Notes

  •  
Inspired by this recipe

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 569kcal Carbohydrates: 87g Protein: 22g Fat: 14g Sodium: 258mg Fiber: 4g Sugar: 4g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

Save to Pinterest
Tried this recipe?A star rating takes 5 seconds and helps more people find it.