Description
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is a classic Italian pasta dish that is simple, flavorful, and quick to prepare. Featuring al dente spaghetti tossed in a fragrant garlic and olive oil sauce with a hint of crushed red pepper flakes, this dish is perfect for a comforting weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound dried spaghetti
- 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)
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large stockpot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until nearly al dente, about one minute less than the package instructions indicate.
- Approximately three minutes after adding pasta to boiling water, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté gently for 3 to 5 minutes until the garlic turns lightly golden, making sure it does not burn. If the pasta is not ready when the garlic is done, remove the pan from heat to prevent burning.
- Once the pasta is cooked, use tongs to transfer it directly into the sauté pan with the garlic and oil. Add 1/2 cup of the hot starchy pasta water. Continuously toss the pasta to coat it evenly in the garlic oil sauce. If the sauce seems too dry, add another 1/4 cup of pasta water as needed.
- Taste the pasta and adjust seasoning by adding more salt or crushed red pepper flakes if desired. Serve immediately while hot, garnished with chopped fresh parsley and freshly-grated Parmesan cheese if preferred.
Notes
- This dish can be customized with additional ingredients like shrimp or vegetables.
- Use a good quality olive oil for the best flavor.
- Adjust the amount of garlic and red pepper flakes to suit your taste.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sauté
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg