Pasta Aglio e Olio

5 from 1 vote

Easy Pasta Aglio e Olio (garlic spaghetti) is a weeknight-friendly recipe with garlic, red pepper flakes, and spaghetti that is ready in 20 minutes.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 686kcal

Bring a large pot of very generously salted water to a boil.
Peel and thinly slice garlic cloves. Roughly chop parsley. Squeeze lemon juice. Set aside.
Once water is boiling add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, 8-10 minutes.
While pasta is boiling heat olive oil in a large saute pan or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic slices, stir frequently to prevent any burning, and cook for about 3-4 minutes, until the garlic turns golden in color.
Stir in red pepper flakes, sea salt, and black pepper and cook for 30-45 seconds, stirring continuously.
Using tongs, add cooked pasta to the garlic oil mixture, stir to coat completely.
Turn the heat up to medium and add 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water to the pan. Toss to coat and stir until the sauce becomes silky. Add a little more pasta water if needed.
Turn off the heat and stir in the optional lemon juice, parsley, and Parmesan, if desired. Toss again to coat.
Check seasonings and add more red pepper flakes, salt, or pepper if needed.
Serve hot in shallow bowls with extra grated Parmesan, if desired.

Nutritional information does not include optional Parmesan, parsley, and lemon juice.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days and gently reheat to serve.
We use 10-12 cloves of garlic, but you can use as few as 8, to suit your taste.
The traditional Italian version is made without cheese and with fresh red peperoncini instead of red pepper flakes, so feel free to substitute these sliced peppers if they are available in your area.
If preferred, use smashed or chopped garlic cloves.