Description
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is a classic Italian pasta dish made with garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and parsley. Quick, simple, and full of bold flavor, it’s a perfect weeknight dinner ready in under 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 400 g (14 oz) spaghetti
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional: grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti until al dente, following package directions.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add sliced garlic and sauté for 2–3 minutes until golden and fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Stir in red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds.
- Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water, then drain spaghetti.
- Add drained pasta to the skillet, tossing with garlic oil. Add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
- Season with salt and black pepper, then stir in parsley.
- Serve hot, topped with Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Add mushrooms, shrimp, or a squeeze of lemon for variation.
- Swap spaghetti for linguine or angel hair pasta.
- For a heartier version, add crispy pancetta or a poached egg.
- Best eaten fresh but can be refrigerated up to 2 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 62g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 11g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
