Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
This simple Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, a classic Italian pasta with garlic and olive oil, takes a handful of pantry staples and less than 20 minutes to make! The pasta water’s starch combines with the olive oil to make a rich, velvety sauce spiked with loads of delicious garlicky flavor. Red pepper flakes, parmesan cheese, and parsley add a nice depth of flavor, but feel free to keep things simple and leave them off if you’d like. Just don’t skip the garlic! A healthy dose of garlic gives this pasta its signature bold flavor.
Servings: 6 servings (up to)
Ingredients
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, or more to your liking)
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan (optional, or more to your liking)
- Chopped parsley (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta and reserve the water. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water well (with about 1 tablespoon of kosher salt). Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until just before al dente (mine took about 9 minutes). Before you drain the pasta, reserve 1 1/2 cups of the pasta’s cooking water.
- Gently cook the garlic. About 4 minutes after you add the pasta to the boiling water, warm the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir until it’s just beginning to turn golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Be sure to turn the heat down if necessary so that the garlic does not burn.
- Season the garlicky oil (optional). When the garlic has just started to brown, add the red pepper flakes (if using) and toss for 30 seconds or so. If the pasta is not ready, move the oil off the heat until the pasta is done.
- Incorporate the pasta water. If you removed the pan from the heat, return it to medium heat once you’ve drained the cooked pasta. Whisk the reserved pasta water into the oil and bring to a simmer until the liquid reduces by about 1/3.
- Coat the pasta in the sauce. Add the cooked pasta and stir until it’s nicely coated in the sauce and cooked to your liking. Turn the heat off and add the parmesan and parsley (if using). Toss once more to combine
- Rest and serve. Allow the pasta a couple of minutes to rest and absorb the sauce before serving. Optionally, enjoy with more parmesan and red pepper flakes on the side.
Video
Notes
- Garlic burns easily. Keep a careful eye on the garlic as you cook it and adjust the heat as needed. You are looking for a slight golden color. If it starts to burn, the best thing to do is to start over with new olive oil and garlic. Burnt garlic will be very bitter–not the taste you want on this simple dish!
- Use quality extra virgin olive oil as it is a main ingredient in the sauce. You can browse my favorite olive oils at our shop. Buttery and smooth Italian Nocellara EVOO is a logical choice here, but if you like something with a more robust peppery finish, try our Greek Early Harvest or Spanish Hojiblanca EVOO.
- Leftovers: Aglio e Olio is best served fresh, but if you have leftovers, store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan with a splash of water, stirring to reincorporate the oil.
- Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils, honey, jams, and spices.
Nutrition
Calories: 399.8kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 9.8g | Saturated Fat: 3.6g | Cholesterol: 4.9mg | Sodium: 92.1mg | Potassium: 152.9mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1.6g | Vitamin A: 97.8IU | Vitamin C: 1.3mg | Calcium: 81.5mg | Iron: 1mg
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