Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (Classic Garlic & Oil Pasta)
A lightning-fast, utterly comforting Neapolitan classic: spaghetti tossed with gently inflected garlic, chilli and glossy olive oil, finished with bright parsley (and a whisper of lemon if you like). Perfect for a weeknight hero or late-night nibble.
Aglio e olio is the culinary equivalent of a love letter written in garlic and olive oil: fuss-free, fast and ridiculously comforting. It’s the kind of dish you make when the fridge is bare but your tastebuds insist on being treated.
Make it for a lightning midweek supper, a chilled Friday-night portion, or when guests show up unexpectedly — it comes together in the time it takes to boil pasta and looks like you cared for hours. The trick is gentle heat, starchy pasta water and restraint (don’t burn the garlic).
Ingredients
- 400 g spaghetti
- 120 ml extra virgin olive oil — about 1/2 cup; good quality but not scorch-price expensive
- 6 cloves garlic — thinly sliced (about 30 g)
- 5 ml red pepper flakes — adjust to taste (½–1½ tsp)
- 15 ml sea salt (for pasta water)
- 5 ml sea salt (for sauce) — or to taste
- 0 ml freshly ground black pepper
- 15 g flat-leaf parsley — finely chopped (a generous handful; about ¼ cup packed)
- 1/2 lemon — zest of half and 1 tsp juice — optional, brightens the dish
Equipment
- large saucepan (for boiling pasta)
- large wide frying pan or skillet
- tongs
- measuring jug (to reserve pasta water)
- colander
Instructions
Fill a large saucepan with at least 4–5 litres of water and bring to a rolling boil. Add the 1 tbsp sea salt once boiling (this seasons the pasta properly).
Add the spaghetti and cook until about 1–2 minutes before the package ‘al dente’ time (typically 8–10 minutes total). Reserve 240 ml (1 cup) of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta.
While the pasta cooks, heat a large wide frying pan over medium–low. Add the olive oil and warm gently for 30 seconds — you want it hot enough to infuse but not smoking.
Add the thinly sliced garlic to the warm oil and cook, stirring, until the slices are soft and pale gold — about 2–3 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes in the last 30 seconds.
Turn the heat to low. Add about 60–120 ml (¼–½ cup) of the reserved pasta water to the pan to loosen the oil and create a glossy emulsion.
Add the drained spaghetti to the pan. Toss and gently lift the pasta with tongs while adding up to the remaining reserved pasta water, 1–2 tbsp at a time, until the sauce coats each strand (about 1 minute of vigorous tossing). Finish with the ½ tsp sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Remove from heat. Stir in the chopped parsley and the lemon zest and juice (if using). Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve immediately in warmed bowls. If you like, grind a little extra black pepper on top and offer grated hard cheese at the table (optional).
Tips
- Slice garlic thin and evenly — uneven pieces will cook at different rates and some will burn while others are undercooked.
- Reserve at least 1 cup (240 ml) of pasta water before draining; start by adding small amounts to adjust sauce consistency.
- Use medium–low heat for the garlic: you want pale gold, never brown. If it browns, start again with new oil and garlic.
- Make ahead: you can prep sliced garlic and chopped parsley up to 24 hours in the fridge. Do not cook the garlic ahead — it will overbrown.
- Leftovers reheat poorly in the microwave (the oil can congeal). Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
Substitutions
spaghetti → linguine, bucatini or thin tagliatelle — similar result; bucatini gives a slightly chewier, starchier bite
Stays closeextra virgin olive oil → mild-flavoured olive oil or a 50:50 mix of olive oil and a neutral oil (rapeseed) to reduce pepperiness
Stays closered pepper flakes → fresh chopped chilli (½ small chilli) or ¼ tsp cayenne — use less with fresh chillies
Noticeably differentlemon (optional) → a splash of white wine (1 tbsp) added with the pasta water for a different kind of lift
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 620
- Calories
- 12 g
- Protein
- 72 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 700 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use butter?
You can add a knob of butter off the heat for richness, but it makes the dish no longer traditionally vegan — the texture becomes silkier and the flavour richer.
Why did my garlic taste bitter?
Bitterness means the garlic has browned or burnt. Cook garlic gently over lower heat and remove from heat if it starts to colour too quickly.
How do I get a creamy sauce with just oil?
The creaminess comes from emulsifying the oil with starchy pasta water while you toss the pasta briskly — reserve enough water and add it slowly until the sauce clings to the strands.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes — use a good-quality gluten-free spaghetti and follow the same method; cooking times will vary so watch the package recommendation.
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