Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
A simple, classic Italian pasta made with garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and optional parsley and Parmesan.
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Large Skillet
- Colander
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Tongs or pasta fork
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti uncooked
- 6 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped, optional
- 1 cup Parmesan grated, optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and season generously with salt, then add the spaghetti and cook until al dente according to package directions.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-low heat.
- Add the thinly sliced garlic to the oil and stir frequently to prevent burning; cook just until the garlic turns golden.
- Stir in the red pepper flakes, then remove the skillet from the heat to prevent the garlic from overcooking.
- When the pasta is done, reserve at least 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta in a colander.
- Transfer the drained pasta to the skillet with the garlic and oil, add about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water, and toss with tongs until the pasta is evenly coated; add more pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
- If using, add the chopped parsley and grated Parmesan and toss lightly to combine.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Nutrition is calculated using the parsley and Parmesan cheese.