Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
Ready in 20 minutes, spaghetti aglio e olio is a classic Italian pasta dish that only requires a few ingredients. It's one of those inexpensive weeknight meals that proves that simple can be delicious!
Servings: 6
Calories: 427kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb spaghetti
- ⅓ cup olive oil extra virgin
- 6 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper more if desired
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- ¼ cup parsley chopped
Instructions
- Fill a pot with water and place it over medium high heat. Bring the water to a boil and add about 2 ½ tablespoons kosher salt to it. Add in the pasta and cook according to the packaging until al dente. This would take 7 to 10 minutes depending on the pasta. Remember to reserve 1 ½ cups of the pasta water for the sauce.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add in the garlic and cook for a few second. Add the crushed red pepper and cook for another 3 minutes. If the oil is infused before the pasta is done, turn the heat to low so the garlic doesn't burn.
- Once the pasta is ready, using a pair of tongs, take the pasta out of the pot and add to the olive oil and garlic followed by 1 cup of the pasta water. Cook on medium for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce is thickened and glossy and the pasta is coated with the sauce. If the pasta seems dry, add another ½ cup pasta water.
- Stir in the grated parmesan and chopped parsley. Taste and add more salt or parmesan if needed. Let it sit for 5 minutes and then serve.
Video
Notes
- You can use spaghetti, linguine or bucatini for this recipe. Since the sauce is olive oil based, it's best to use long and thin pasta for this recipe.
- Make sure the garlic is not browned or burned. We want the garlic to infuse the oil with its flavor.
- Generously salt the water before adding the pasta. This will make the pasta and later the garlic olive oil sauce very flavorful.
- The addition of the starchy pasta water makes this dish creamy and rich, make sure not to skip it.
Nutrition
Calories: 427kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 155mg | Potassium: 213mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 332IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 1mg