Description
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is a classic Italian pasta dish featuring simple, high-quality ingredients like garlic, olive oil, and red pepper flakes. This quick and flavorful recipe delivers a comforting meal in just 20 minutes, perfect for a weeknight dinner or a light lunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Spaghetti
- 1 pound dried spaghetti
Sauce
- 1/2 cup good-quality olive oil
- 6 to 8 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more, to taste)
Optional Garnishes
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Boil the Pasta: Bring a large stockpot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until nearly al dente, about one minute shy of fully cooked.
- Prepare the Garlic Oil: About 3 minutes after adding the pasta, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the garlic turns lightly golden. Be careful not to burn the garlic; if the pasta isn’t ready when the garlic is golden, remove the pan from heat temporarily.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Once the pasta is ready, use tongs to transfer it directly from the pot to the sauté pan with the garlic oil. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved hot starchy pasta water. Toss the pasta continuously to coat it evenly in the garlic sauce. If the sauce seems dry, add another 1/4 cup of starchy pasta water and toss again.
- Season and Serve: Taste the pasta and add extra salt or crushed red pepper flakes if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped fresh parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- This recipe is simple and quick, made with just a few ingredients in about 20 minutes.
- Adjust the amount of garlic and red pepper flakes according to your taste preferences.
- Using good quality olive oil enhances the flavor of the sauce significantly.
- Be vigilant to avoid burning the garlic to keep the sauce flavorful and smooth.
- Reserved pasta water helps to bind the sauce and coat the spaghetti perfectly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup cooked pasta with sauce
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
