Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil (Aglio e Olio)

Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil, also known in Italian as Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is a simple pasta dish made with only 4 ingredients.  It’s quick, easy, and ready to serve in 15 minutes. Perfect for a quick pasta night any day of the week.

 

If you haven’t heard of this dish yet, then you are in for a real treat! It’s nothing fancy, but a simple dish that tastes amazing every time you’re hungry and there’s no food in the house, this is something quick to whip up.

What is garlic and olive oil sauce?

Fresh garlic and extra virgin olive oil are the main ingredients for this sauce. Both the extra virgin olive oil and fresh garlic provide a rich, aromatic flavor, while the fresh Italian parsley adds a touch of freshness to the dish.

Spaghetti with garlic and olive oil is a common dish in Italy and it is so delicious and so quick to whip up – it’s amazing!

It is so good, and a nice change from having spaghetti with a jarred sauce or any red sauce like our mom’s quick marinara sauce.

Italians love to cook simple meals with minimal ingredients. For as long as we could remember, this was our mom’s “go-to” dish whenever we were hungry and wanted something to eat.

What You’ll Need:

For our spaghetti with garlic and oil recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

• extra virgin olive oil
• fresh garlic cloves
• crushed red pepper flakes
• fresh parsley
• spaghetti
• grated cheese, for serving

How to Make It?

1. First, Boil the Spaghetti. You begin cooking the spaghetti in a pot of boiling salted water.

2. Second, Make the Sauce! At the same time, prepare to make the sauce in a small saucepan or small pot by start sautéing the garlic with red pepper flakes in olive oil for about one minute. Then toss in the freshly chopped parsley.

3. Third, Reserve Some Salty Boiling Water. Next, you will need to reserve some salty pasta water, about 2/3 cup. Then when the spaghetti is ready, drain and toss the pasta together with the garlic and olive oil sauce. 

4. Top with Fresh Herbs and Cheese! Top with additional sprinkle of fresh parsley or basil. Then serve with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese or Pecorino-Romano at the table.

 

 

Tips for success…

• Remember, the key to making this simple sauce is using some “salted water” when cooking the spaghetti.  So you will need to reserve some of it before draining the pasta.
• Next, it is added to the garlic and olive oil mixture. This simple technique creates “the sauce” without adding any additional ingredients.  And, it works every time. 😉
• Best to use fresh garlic cloves to optimal flavor.
• Also, for best flavor, we recommend to use freshly grated parmesan or pecorino cheese. and fresh parsley or fresh basil.
• What kind of olive oil do you recommend? For optimal flavor in the sauce, use the highest quality of extra virgin olive oil. Make sure it says on the bottle “Product of Italy” (not packed in Italy). Otherwise, they are “mixed oils” from different countries, and mixed oils have NO flavor.
• Can we use a different kind of pasta? Yes you can! Try using whole-grain pasta, or even gluten-free.  At times we like mixing both kinds of pasta so the kids won’t notice that they’re eating something healthier.

 

Let’s Make It! (*full recipe card below!)

Here are our Easy To Follow Step-by-Step Directions:

1.  In a large pot of water, add 1/2 tablespoon of salt to the water and bring it to a boil.  Add spaghetti to the boiling water—cook the spaghetti for about 6 minutes for al dente ( tender to the bite). Be sure to not overcook the pasta.

2.  In the meantime, pour 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil into a small quart-size pot on low heat.  Gently heat and add the garlic, 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt, and red pepper flakes.  Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until garlic is golden, but not brown.

3.  Immediately turn off the heat, and remove the pot from the burner. The hot oil will continue to brown the garlic.

4.  Toss in fresh parsley while it’s still very hot and cover with a lid. This will infuse the flavor of parsley without burning it.

5.  Then grab a measuring cup, carefully scoop up  2/3 cup of the boiling salted water from the pot cooking the spaghetti, and pour it into the oil mixture.  Set aside.

6.  Drain the spaghetti when ready.  Place the spaghetti back into the large pot and pour the garlic and oil mixture into the spaghetti.  Turn the heat back on low and simmer while stirring the spaghetti for 1 minute.  This will allow the flavors to get absorbed into the spaghetti.

7.  Serve spaghetti in individual pasta bowls.  Serve with fresh cracked black pepper and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese at the table.  Buon Appetito!

Serves 4 to 6

There’s nothing like a bowl of pasta for an easy dinner or for meatless nights. Pasta is comfort food in all seasons.

Try this recipe, you won’t be disappointed.

ENJOY!!

More Easy Pasta Recipes You’ll Love!

• Ravioli Bake Casserole
• Spaghetti with Zucchini (alla Nerano)
• Angel Hair Pasta with Lemon Sauce
• Bucatini  with Truffle Oil and Ricotta Salata
• Vegetable Bolognese with Pappardelle
• Spinach Ravioli with Asparagus Sauce
• Cacio e Pepe Recipe

That’s it friends!  If you make our favorite pasta with garlic and oil, let us know and leave a comment with a star rating on our recipe card! We’d love to hear from you!

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Happy Cooking! 🙂