Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

As seen on

once upon a chef

Total Time

35 minutes

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Rating

(4)

Ingredients

4 servings

1 tablespoon + 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 pound (16 oz) dried spaghetti
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
⅓ cup thinly sliced garlic, from about 8 cloves
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
⅓ cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
¾ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving

Beginner Italian Vegetarian Dinner ...

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Preparation

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Step 1

Cook the Spaghetti: Bring a large pot of water and 1 tablespoon of the salt to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Before draining, reserve 1½ cups of the pasta cooking water. Then, drain the spaghetti.

Step 2

Prepare the Sauce: In a cold skillet large enough to hold the pasta (a 12-inch sauté pan is ideal), combine the olive oil and garlic. Cook over medium heat until the garlic begins to sizzle. Then, immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the garlic turns lightly golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Be careful not to let the garlic burn. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the red pepper flakes. Add about ½ cup of the reserved pasta water to the skillet to stop the garlic from cooking further.

Step 3

Combine the Pasta and Sauce: Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the garlic oil, along with ¾ cup of the reserved cooking water and the remaining ¾ teaspoon of salt. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the pasta absorbs some of the sauce, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the remaining reserved cooking water if the pasta seems dry.

Step 4

Finish and Serve: Right before serving, add the chopped parsley and grated cheese to the pasta. Stir until the pasta is well coated and the sauce becomes creamy. Serve immediately, passing additional cheese at the table.

Chef’s notes

To avoid burning the garlic, make sure to slice it evenly so it all cooks at the same rate. When the garlic and olive oil are heating up, pay close attention; as soon as the garlic starts to sizzle, immediately reduce the heat to medium-low. While it continues to cook, be sure to stir it frequently. The garlic should turn a light golden color, which typically takes just a few minutes. If the garlic starts to brown too quickly, reduce the heat immediately. Keep in mind that garlic can go from perfectly golden to burnt quite fast, so staying attentive during this step is crucial. Last, after removing the skillet from the heat and adding the red pepper flakes, make quick work of adding ½ cup of the reserved pasta water to the pan (this will stop the garlic from cooking further).

Can add protein such as grilled chicken, shrimp, or crispy bacon.

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Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Ingredients

Preparation

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Chef’s notes

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