Spaghetti aglio e olio is a traditional Italian dish that has earned a top spot in our comfort food hall of fame.
This simple recipe is as satisfying as it gets.
Spaghetti aglio e olio (pronounced “ay-yo e ol-yo”) hails from the Italian city of Naples, and translates to “spaghetti with garlic and oil”.
This traditional Neapolitan dish comes together in just 15 minutes or your money back! First, start by cooking spaghetti in salted water until ‘al dente’. Meanwhile, lightly sauté slivered or minced garlic in good quality olive oil over medium-low heat. Some versions call for a pinch of red chili flakes for a hint of heat. However, this is optional. (When you add chili flakes, you’re technically making spaghetti aglio e olio e peperoncino.) Combine and toss the cooked spaghetti together with the garlicky oil, garnish with a sprinkle of chopped Italian parsley, and buon appetito!
Watch the heat.
Make sure to sauté the garlic in the oil over medium-low heat. When infusing the oil, be careful not to burn the garlic. Remove the pan from the heat as soon as the garlic becomes fragrant and begins to turn a pale golden color. The moment it starts to brown, it is really starting to burn, turning the garlic bitter. When that happens, you will need to throw it out and start over. It only takes a minute or two to infuse the essence of the garlic into the oil.
You will be tempted to add grated parmesan or pecorino cheese, which really does go well with this dish. But for you hardcore traditionalists, cheese is actually not added.
We can’t quit cheese on our pasta either, so we’ll unconsciously rain some on top. I love pepper on pasta too, so I’ll usually finish the plate with a few cracks of fresh black pepper before tucking in.
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
Equipment
- Stock pot
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb spaghetti
- 1/4 cup olive oil good quality, extra virgin
- 3-4 ea cloves garlic minced, thinly sliced or pressed
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/4 cup Italian parsley leaves chopped. Reserve the stems for another use.
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil in the stock pot over high heat. Add a couple tablespoons of salt to season the water.
- Add the pasta, stirring to prevent sticking together, and cook until 'al dente'. Reserve 1/3 C of the cooking liquid, then drain the pasta.
- In the skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Do not let the garlic turn brown. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Add the spaghetti to the skillet with the infused oil and toss until thoroughly coated. Add a little cooking liquid if the pasta is too dry.