Savor the simplicity of aglio e olio, a classic Italian pasta dish featuring golden sautéed garlic, fragrant olive oil, and a touch of red pepper flakes. This elegant, rustic recipe celebrates bold flavors and straightforward ingredients, delivering comforting taste that’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or casual gathering.
Aglio e olio is a classic Italian pasta dish with roots in the southern region of Italy, particularly Naples, where humble ingredients have long formed the backbone of home cooking. Its history reflects the ingenuity of Italian cooks who, with just pantry staples like garlic (aglio), olive oil (olio), and pasta, created a dish that’s both simple and deeply flavorful.
Preparation begins by gently sautéing thinly sliced garlic in extra virgin olive oil to infuse the oil with a fragrant, golden aroma. Red pepper flakes are added for a subtle kick, and the mixture is tossed with perfectly cooked spaghetti. Sometimes a sprinkle of chopped parsley or grated cheese finishes the dish.
What makes aglio e olio especially interesting is its elegant simplicity—each ingredient shines, resulting in a comforting, satisfying meal that’s ready in minutes but never feels ordinary. This dish embodies the Italian philosophy that great food doesn’t require complexity, just quality ingredients and careful preparation.
This classic Italian dish is an exceptionally easy recipe from Gimme Some Oven, coming together in just 20 minutes with only four core ingredients and relying on simple sauteing and emulsifying techniques. The flavor profile is clean, robust, and dominated by the aromatic combination of plenty of sliced garlic that has been gently sizzled in high-quality olive oil. The heat from the crushed red pepper flakes cuts through the richness of the oil, while the starchy pasta water binds it all into a glossy, intensely satisfying sauce.
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried spaghetti
- ½ cup good-quality olive oil (extra virgin recommended)
- 6 to 8 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more, to taste)
- Optional garnishes: chopped fresh parsley, freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
- Bring a large stockpot of generously-salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until it is just one minute shy of being al dente (firm to the bite).
- Meanwhile, about 3 minutes after you add the pasta to the boiling water, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the garlic is lightly golden. Important Tip: It is crucial that the garlic does not burn. If the garlic turns lightly golden before the pasta is ready, remove the sauté pan from the heat until the pasta is ready.
- As soon as the pasta is ready, use tongs to immediately transfer the pasta to the sauté pan, along with ½ cup of the hot starchy pasta water.
- Toss the pasta continuously until it is evenly coated in the garlic sauce. The hot, starchy water will help the oil and garlic emulsify into a glossy sauce. If the sauce looks a bit too dry, add in another ¼ cup of the starchy pasta water.
- Give the pasta a quick taste and add an extra pinch of salt and/or crushed red pepper flakes if needed.
- Serve immediately while hot, garnished with any toppings that sound good (such as fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese).
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