Aglio e Olio Pasta (Printable)

Spaghetti combined with garlic olive oil, chili flakes, and parsley for a quick Italian meal.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 7 oz dried spaghetti

→ Infused Olive Oil

02 - 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
03 - 4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
04 - 1 tsp red chili flakes

→ Garnish

05 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
06 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
07 - Sea salt, to taste
08 - 2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add sliced garlic and sauté gently until fragrant and lightly golden, about 1 to 2 minutes. Avoid burning the garlic.
03 - Stir in red chili flakes into the garlic oil and cook for 10 seconds.
04 - Add drained spaghetti to the skillet. Toss to coat evenly, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
05 - Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat, toss with chopped parsley and transfer to serving plates.
06 - Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • This pasta comes together in literally ten minutes, perfect for those nights when takeout feels like too much effort but you still want something real
  • The garlic olive oil creates this silky, fragrant coating that somehow feels luxurious despite being embarrassingly cheap to make
02 -
  • Burnt garlic ruins everything and happens in seconds, watch your oil like a hawk and lower the heat if it\'s sizzling too aggressively
  • That pasta water is not optional, the starch helps create an emulsion that makes the oil cling to every strand of spaghetti
03 -
  • Use a larger skillet than you think you need, tossing spaghetti in a crowded pan is frustrating and messy
  • Grating fresh Parmesan makes a huge difference, the pre-grated stuff doesnt melt into the warm oil the same way
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