Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is one of the easiest pasta dishes you can make! It uses only 6 ingredients and takes less than 30 minutes to make!
When dinner time rolls around and I don’t know what to make, I typically fall back on a good pasta recipe! The whole family loves classic spaghetti (and chicken spaghetti), and today’s version! Check out all of our Easy Pasta Recipes!
Another favorite spaghetti
Don’t let the short ingredient list fool you….this pasta dish is SO flavorful! And it’s so easy to make! If you are short on time and need dinner on the table fast this will save your life.
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is a pasta dish everyone should know how to make. It’s a very basic Italian classic. I do realize that this has parsley and Parmesan added but it’s oh so good! If you prefer to stick with the classic version feel free to leave them out.
My whole family loves this dish, even the littles. No one is complaining while eating this pasta, just quite kiddos slurping noodles…..now that’s a win in my books!
How to make Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
PASTA.This seems like a no brainer but be sure to SALT YOUR WATER! This flavors the pasta and is a very important step.
GARLIC. Heat your pan with the olive oil then add your garlic. Stir constantly to prevent the garlic from burning. We are looking for a nice golden color. Then stir in the red pepper flakes and remove from the heat.
COMBINE. Stir in the cooked pasta and at least ½ cup of the pasta water. This will help make a nice sauce.
TOPPINGS. Stir in the parsley and parmesan cheese if you are using them.
RECIPE TIPS
Just a few things to keep in mind when making this recipe:
- Watch your garlic carefully because it can burn easily, and burnt garlic is very strong and bitter.
- This is a fast moving recipe, so I like to have all of my ingredients ready BEFORE I start.
- As mentioned before, please salt your water. And not just a little pinch either….at least a couple tablespoons.
SIDE Suggestions
Like any Italian dish, we have our go-to sides. Here are a few of them:
- A salad dressed with Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing and Homemade Croutons
- Roasted Tomatoes
- A fresh loaf of Italian Bread
- and Flourless Chocolate Cake for dessert
In fact, this would make an awesome date night in meal!! Light a few candles and make your favorite appetizer to munch on while you prepare this super fast pasta dish.
For more Spaghetti Recipes:
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti, uncooked
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup chopped parsley, optional
- 1 cup grated Parmesan, optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous amount of salt and add pasta. Boil pasta until al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking heat a large skillet with the olive oil over medium to medium low heat. Add garlic and stir constantly to prevent burning. Cook the garlic just until golden. Stir in the red pepper flakes and remove from heat.
- Once the pasta is done cooking transfer to the skillet along with at least ½ cup of the pasta water. Toss to combine. If desired add the parsley and cheese and toss lightly to combine. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Nutrition is calculated using the parsley and parmesan cheese.
A meatless spaghetti dish. Quick and satisfying.
My family has spaghetti at least every other week & this is a great option for when we aren’t wanting the normal, red sauce spaghetti. It’s simple, but so good!
I have picky kids & they love this!! I like that it requires ingredients that I always have on hand!
Such a simple but thoroughly satisfying dish and perfect for a busy weeknight!
I’m always looking for meals the whole family will enjoy and this one did not disappoint! Such a fun change from our normal pasta dinner routine….and so easy to make too. thanks!
Im not even sure how to pronounce this dish, but it is super easy to make.
My husband and I made this for the first time last week! For it being so simple it is really great! We made a hybrid version of it a few days later.