This was my mom's favorite dish to make for us growing up because she could guarantee we would all eat it. This 15-minute Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil, or Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, will be a new weekly favorite at your house, whether for a full meal or a side dish.
A Quick Look at The Recipe
- ✅Recipe Name: Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil (Aglio e Olio)
- ⏲️Ready in: 15 minutes
- 👪Makes: 6 servings
- 📋Main ingredients: Spaghetti, Garlic, Olive Oil
- ⭐Why You'll Love This Recipe: It's ready in less than 15 minutes, and you can serve this for dinner or alongside your favorite protein.
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Want some more quick pasta recipes? Try our Pasta with Peas and Pancetta or Pasta with Cauliflower.
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A Couple of Simple Ingredients
We all need a go-to recipe when the kids are going crazy, you have a hundred things to do, and you need to get a meal on the table. 15-minute spaghetti with garlic and oil, my mom made us at least 100 times when my brothers and I were growing up.
There are a few different ways to make this recipe, but to get a 15-minute spaghetti with garlic and oil, I want to use the least amount of ingredients, similar to Pasta and Potatoes (Pasta e Patate). The only ingredients you NEED are spaghetti, garlic, oil, and salt. And if you want to be a little fancy, you can add parsley, fresh parmesan, and crushed red pepper.
Italian recipes with just a few simple, high-quality ingredients like Bucatini Amatriciana or this spaghetti with garlic and oil, are perfect for weeknight meals, plus they're the basis for Italian cooking over thousands of years!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
This is such a simple recipe that there isn't much to substitute, but just in case, here are some notes!
- Spaghetti- Substitute any long pasta like angel hair or linguine. Look for your pasta to be slow-dried and bronze cut. This will help with creating that classic silky smooth sauce because these types of pastas release a lot of starch into the water. See the image of pasta above.
- Crushed red pepper- Leave out the crushed red pepper if you or your kids don't like spicy! If they do, try our Spicy Marinara or Spicy Chicken Riggies.
- Olive oil- Use a high-quality extra virgin olive oil since this will be the main flavor in the sauce. Olive oils that are made from single types of olives or grown in one specific place are usually best.
- Salt- Heavily salt the water for pasta. This will help the pasta absorb the sauce and flavor, and make the difference between homemade pasta and restaurant-quality pasta.
*Please see the recipe card below for more information on the ingredients.
How to Make Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil in 15 Minutes
Step 1: First, we are going to start by getting your water boiling. Add your pasta to the boiling water.
Step 2: While the water is heating, bring a frying pan to medium heat. Add extra virgin olive oil to the pan. Toss in the garlic and crushed red pepper and saute for 60-90 seconds. Stir it often. The garlic should have a light brown edge when complete.
Step 3: Add pasta water to the sauteed garlic. Once the pasta is al dente, use kitchen tongs to collect the spaghetti and add it right to the pan. Don't strain it. Stir vigorously until the pasta starts to look like it is silky. Add extra pasta water if it begins to look dry until the oil and water emulsify into a silky but lightly creamy sauce.
Step 4: Add parmesan and parsley. Toss the spaghetti well and serve with extra parmesan.
Once it's ready, it should look the slightest bit creamy. The oil shouldn't be separating from the pasta water. If you love spaghetti with garlic and oil, try a lemony version with Lemon Pasta with Spinach or a more savory late-night version with our Garlic Anchovy Pasta with Toasted Breadcrumbs.
Pro-Tips
- Don't prepare the garlic ahead of time, because the longer it sits out after being cut, the more potent the flavor and fragrance will be.
- Emulsion:The whole point of adding the pasta water to the oil is to create an emulsion, so when you're stirring the pasta, you need to be vigorous. Make sure you're moving it around a lot. Use a wooden spoon or tongs with rubber edges.
- Timing is everything on this dish. Yes, it's super easy to make, but the key is for the pasta to be ready as soon as the garlic is done.
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Serving Suggestions for Aglio e Olio
- Classic Italian Proteins- Serve spaghetti with garlic and oil with the classics that my mom served, like Italian Chicken Cutlets or No Egg Chicken Cutlets, Restaurant-Style Chicken Francese, or The BEST Chicken Piccata.
- Salads- We used to have spaghetti and garlic and oil with a Grilled Chicken Caesar salad with Traditional Caesar Dressing and Homemade Italian Parmesan Croutons!
- Vegetable Sides- Perfect to serve with easy veggie sides like Italian Lacinato Kale Recipe (Tuscan), Garlic Parmesan Green Beans, or Roasted Carrots and Fennel.
FAQs about Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil
The best way to reheat this dish is to add a little olive oil to a pan over medium heat and add your spaghetti to the pan. Toss the spaghetti until it is the desired temperature. Add extra olive oil as needed.
Adding pasta water to this dish with a little bit of parmesan cheese will make this dish silky smooth and creamy.
It's referred to as spaghetti aglio e olio, which is a direct translation of spaghetti with garlic and oil.
Next time you're in a pinch and you need to get something fresh on the table, try our spaghetti! A 15-minute spaghetti with garlic and oil is a crucial recipe for new parents.
Quick and Easy Recipes
Please leave a comment and star rating below in the recipe card! I love to hear what you think of our recipes. Feel free to tag us on Instagram @vindelgiudice.
15-minute Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil
Equipment
- 1 large saucepan
Ingredients
- 9 cloves garlic, sliced
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh chopped parsley, garnish
- grated parmesan
- 1 teaspoon red pepper
Instructions
- In a medium pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente.
- In a large pan bring ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil to medium heat. When there are three minutes remaining to boil the pasta add the garlic and red pepper to the pan to sauté. Stir often. Sauté the garlic until it turns a light brown on its edges.
- When the pasta is finished, use kitchen tongs to pull it right from the pot and add it to the pan. Do this carefully to not cause the oil to splatter. Stir vigorously and slowly add 1 cup of pasta water until it becomes absorbed. Stir for 2-3 minutes or until the oil is no longer separate from the water. Add salt and stir.
- Garnish with parsley, parmesan, and black pepper for taste if desired.
Video
Notes
- The whole point of adding the pasta water to the oil is to create an emulsion, so when you're stirring the pasta, you need to be vigorous. Make sure you're moving it around a lot. Use a wooden spoon or tongs with rubber edges.
- Timing is everything on this dish. Yes, it's super easy to make, but the key is for the pasta to be ready as soon as the garlic is done.
Teresa says
I grew up having this staple every week, and I carry it to this day.. Love it Love it Love it!!! ❤️
Vinny says
My mom always used to make this for us. This recipe is exactly how she did it! I hope you enjoy as much as we did!
Josie Mangione says
You make it exactly like I do I put toasted bread crumbs on top.
Vinny and Marisa says
Yum! I love toasted breadcrumbs! I put them on a lot of my seafood pasta! Check out our Linguine Clamato, perfect with toasted breadcrumbs!