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Spaghetti aglio e olio in a white pasta bowl.

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Garlic and Olive Oil Spaghetti
Makes 2 SERVINGS
Total Time 15 minutes
  • 8 oz (½ lb) (225 g) thin spaghetti
  • 4 Tablespoons (60 g) extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (see Notes for variations)
  • 1 pinch chili pepper, powdered or crushed (optional)
  • 1 pinch Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped (optional)

KEY: pinch (⅛ tsp) | tsp = teaspoon (5ml) | Tbsp = Tablespoon (15ml)

  • Bring a large covered pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, tender yet still firm to the bite.
  • Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large enough sauté pan or skillet to accommodate the spaghetti. Add the garlic and chili pepper and cook, letting it barely sizzle, until the garlic just starts to turn golden, around 2 minutes. Remove from heat immediately, as it will continue to cook.
  • Drain the pasta and add to the pan of garlic along with around ¼ cup of the cooking water. Toss over high heat until water is completely absorbed. Sprinkle with a pinch of fresh Italian parsley and serve immediately.

Variations on Preparing the Garlic

    • Finely chop
    • Cut into short matchsticks.
    • Slice into thick rounds (about 3mm) and gently stew on lower heat to caramelize the sugars until tender, around 10 minutes. I use a small saucepan for this so that the oil comes to a higher level in the pan.
    • Use whole garlic - Great for those intolerant to digesting garlic or who just prefer a subtle garlic flavor. Add the whole peeled clove to the oil, crushing it a little to release more flavor, if you like. Remove from the oil before tossing with the pasta.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 673kcal (34%) | Carbohydrates: 86g (29%) | Protein: 15g (30%) | Fat: 30g (46%) | Saturated Fat: 4g (25%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 266mg (8%) | Fiber: 4g (17%) | Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): 0.1mg (7%) | Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): 0.1mg (6%) | Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 2mg (10%) | Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): 0.2mg (10%) | Vitamin E: 4mg (27%) | Vitamin K: 17µg (16%) | Folate (Vitamin B9): 21µg (5%) | Iron: 2mg (11%) | Magnesium: 61mg (15%) | Selenium: 72µg (103%) | Zinc: 2mg (13%)
Please keep in mind that nutritional info is an estimate and varies according to ingredients used.