Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
A classic Italian pasta dish made with garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and parsley. Simple, flavorful, and ready in under 30 minutes.
Servings: 4
Adjust the serving amount to scale the ingredient list. Written quantities in the steps refer to the original recipe; adjust them in the same proportion. Timing may vary with batch size.
Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 14.1 oz spaghetti
- 0.5 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes adjust to taste
- 0.25 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- Salt to taste
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese optional, for serving
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook gently, stirring frequently, until the garlic is golden and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet with the garlic oil. Toss well to coat the pasta. If the mixture seems dry, add a little reserved pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.
- Remove from heat and stir in the chopped parsley and salt to taste.
- Serve immediately, optionally topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
For best results, use high-quality extra-virgin olive oil and fresh garlic. The reserved pasta water helps create a silky sauce that clings to the noodles.