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Spaghetti Aglio e Olio Recipe (Authentic Italian Garlic & Olive Oil Pasta)
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio Recipe (Authentic Italian Garlic & Olive Oil Pasta)
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Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is one of those Italian dishes that takes me right back to the simplicity of cooking in Italy. Growing up, we didn’t need a refrigerator full of ingredients to put a good meal on the table. A little garlic, good olive oil, pasta, and a few simple ingredients were often all we needed.
After 40 years in the restaurant business, I’ve come to appreciate these simple dishes even more. When a recipe has so few ingredients, the technique becomes everything. You have to gently cook the garlic, use good olive oil, cook the pasta properly, and save that starchy pasta water to bring everything together.
This is a pasta I make when I want something quick, comforting, and full of flavor without a lot of fuss. It’s proof that some of the best Italian meals are also the simplest.
Things to know about this Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
Don’t Burn the Garlic
Garlic is the star of this dish, so take your time with it. Cook it gently over medium-low heat until fragrant and just beginning to turn golden.
If the garlic gets too dark, it will become bitter and can overpower the entire dish.
Use Good Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
There are only a handful of ingredients in this recipe, so the quality of your olive oil matters. Use an extra-virgin olive oil that you enjoy the flavor of because it becomes part of the sauce.
Save Your Pasta Water
This is one of the most important steps.
Before draining the spaghetti, reserve some of the cooking water. The starch in the water helps emulsify the olive oil and creates a silky sauce that clings to the pasta.
Don’t skip this step.
Finish the Spaghetti in the Skillet
Don’t simply drain the pasta and pour the garlic and oil over it.
Transfer the spaghetti directly into the skillet with the garlic and olive oil. Add some reserved pasta water and toss everything together over the heat.
Don’t simply drain the pasta and pour the garlic and oil over it.
Transfer the spaghetti for the stock pot directly into the skillet with the garlic and olive oil. Add some reserved pasta water and toss everything together over the heat.
This is what turns the olive oil and pasta water into a light, silky sauce.
Cook the Pasta Al Dente
Start checking the spaghetti a minute or two before the package’s recommended cooking time. You want it tender but still slightly firm when you bite into it.
The pasta will continue cooking when you finish it in the skillet.
Adjust the Heat
Red pepper flakes give Aglio e Olio its signature little kick. Start with a small amount and add more if you like your pasta spicy.
What to Serve With Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
This pasta is wonderful on its own, but it also makes a great first course or side dish.
For an Italian-inspired meal, serve it with a simple vegetable, salad, or a protein such as fish or chicken.
If you love simple Italian pasta dishes, you may also enjoy my One-Pot Creamy Zucchini Pasta, another easy pasta that lets a few simple ingredients do the work.
For a classic Roman pasta, try my Cacio e Pepe. Like Aglio e Olio, it relies on technique rather than a complicated ingredient list.
And if you’re looking for another traditional Roman favorite, my Rigatoni Amatriciana is made with a simple combination of tomatoes, guanciale, and Pecorino Romano.
For something completely different, my Spaghetti Nerano combines spaghetti with fried zucchini and cheese for another example of how a handful of ingredients can create something special.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s ready in about 30 minutes.
- It uses simple pantry ingredients.
- It’s inexpensive to make.
- No complicated sauce is required.
- It’s naturally vegetarian.
- It’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
- The technique can be used with many other pasta dishes.
A Simple Italian Pasta Worth Knowing
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is more than just an easy dinner. It’s a great recipe to learn because it teaches you some of the most important techniques for cooking pasta well: properly salted water, al dente pasta, saving pasta water, and finishing the pasta in the sauce.
Once you understand those techniques, you’ll see them throughout Italian cooking.
And sometimes, the simplest plate of pasta is the one you come back to again and again.
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio Recipe (Authentic Italian Garlic & Olive Oil Pasta)
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is a simple Italian pasta made with garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, red pepper flakes, and parsley. This classic 20-minute recipe uses a few simple ingredients and a little pasta water to create a silky, flavorful sauce that coats every strand of spaghetti.
Ingredients
- 12 oz. spaghetti
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1 cup reserved pasta water, or as needed
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season generously with salt and add the spaghetti.
- Cook until just shy of al dente, following the package directions as a guide. Before draining, reserve at least 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook gently until the garlic is fragrant and just beginning to turn golden. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
- Transfer the cooked spaghetti directly into the skillet with the garlic and oil.
- Add about 1 cup of the reserved pasta water and toss the pasta vigorously with the oil. Continue tossing over medium heat until the pasta is al dente and the sauce becomes silky and coats the spaghetti. Add more pasta water, a little at a time, if needed.
- Remove from the heat and add the parsley and freshly ground black pepper. Toss once more and serve immediately.
Always save more pasta water then the recipe calls for!!!
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