• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Modern Honey
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Top 20
  • Subscribe
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Top 20
    • Subscribe
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Pasta

    Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil)

    Published: Apr 23, 2019 by Melissa Stadler · This post may contain affiliate links · 21 Comments

    12879 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Spaghetti Aglio e Olio. Spaghetti tossed in sauteed garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley. A quick and easy authentic pasta dish! Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil is 20 minute meal. www.modernhoney.com #pasta #spaghetti

    Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

    Spaghetti tossed in sauteed garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley. A quick and easy authentic pasta dish!

    This is as easy as it gets. When you are too tired to even think about fixing dinner, this is what you whip up.  I have heard that many chefs during cooking school or after a long shift on the line, they come home and make Spaghetti Aglio e Olio. It is a big bowl of comfort food that is so simple and quick to prepare.

    Spaghetti Aglio e Olio. Spaghetti tossed in sauteed garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley. A quick and easy authentic pasta dish! Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil is 20 minute meal. www.modernhoney.com #pasta #spaghetti

    I love real authentic Italian food. Years ago I flew to Chicago to bake with Nestle for their "Bake Some Good" event. We baked goodies and then delivered them to a large homeless shelter in the area. It will go down as one of the best days of my life!

    It was a whirlwind trip and I arrived the night before the event. Since I had never been to Chicago, I couldn't wait to venture out into the city. I started to walk the streets and I stumbled upon Eataly, a culinary mecca that I am obsessed with in New York City, and I found it in Chicago. This is what foodies like me dream about.  If you've never been to Eataly, put it on your list.

    It is a two-story foodie paradise filled with all kinds of restaurants, bakeries, and you can even pick up your fresh produce while eating gelato.  I could spend an entire day there just eating my way through it! I found an area with cookbooks lined up the wall which is my kind of reading.  Then I found a large sign stating, "50% off all cookbooks." Are you kidding me? I just hit the jackpot! Well, except for the fact that I had ZERO room in my suitcase. This didn't stop me! I am one resourceful girl and there had to be a way.

    I thumbed through stacks and stacks of cookbooks while I devoured some desserts.  That's my kind of multi-tasking.  I made the trek back to the hotel holding several heavy cookbooks. One was Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen, which has authentic Italian recipes. If only there was a hidden camera in my hotel room that night as I tried to stuff everything into one little carry-on.  I basically wore about 4 outfits on the plane. I kid you not. But the cookbooks and a ridiculous amount of Nestle chocolate I had to carry back home were definitely worth it!

    Spaghetti Aglio e Olio. Spaghetti tossed in sauteed garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley. A quick and easy authentic pasta dish! Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil is 20 minute meal. www.modernhoney.com #pasta #spaghetti

    As I thumbed through the pages, the very first recipe I wanted to try was this Spaghetti Aglio e Olio which means Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil.  It was such a simple recipe but I loved how the garlic and olive oil were the stars of the pasta.  I was hooked after the first bite and now when I am feeling lazy and don't feel like whipping up an elaborate meal, this is my go-to pasta.

    What is Spaghetti Aglio e Olio?

    It is a classic Italian dish made with spaghetti, sauteed garlic, olive oil, crushed hot red pepper flakes, and chopped Italian parsley. A touch of freshly grated parmesan cheese can be sprinkled on the top.

    Sometimes I change it up and sautee the garlic with half extra-virgin olive oil and half butter.  The butter gives it some extra rich flavor.

    Spaghetti Aglio e Olio. Spaghetti tossed in sauteed garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley. A quick and easy authentic pasta dish! Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil is 20 minute meal. www.modernhoney.com #pasta #spaghetti

    How to make Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil):

    1.  Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil over high heat.  Add a GENEROUS amount of salt to pot.  Stir the spaghetti into the boiling water.  Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
    2. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and cook for 1 ½ - 2 minutes, watching carefully so the garlic doesn't burn. Garlic can burn quickly and can turn a bitter flavor. Once the garlic is softened, remove from heat and add red pepper flakes.
    3. Add 1 ½ cups of pasta water. This water is salty and starchy and adds flavor to the sauce.
    4. Once pasta is cooked, drain, and then toss with garlic and olive oil mixture. Toss with parsley and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Salt according to taste. If you like spicy foods, add a touch more red pepper flakes.

    Spaghetti Aglio e Olio. Spaghetti tossed in sauteed garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley. A quick and easy authentic pasta dish! Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil is 20 minute meal. www.modernhoney.com #pasta #spaghetti

    Spaghetti Aglio e Olio. Spaghetti tossed in sauteed garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley. A quick and easy authentic pasta dish! Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil is 20 minute meal. www.modernhoney.com #pasta #spaghetti

    Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil)

    Spaghetti Aglio e Olio. Spaghetti tossed in sauteed garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley. A quick and easy authentic pasta dish! 
    4.54 from 13 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 6

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb Spaghetti
    • 5 Tablespoons Olive Oil (may use 2 Tablespoons of Butter and 3 T. of olive oil)
    • 6 cloves Garlic (peeled and sliced)
    • ½ - 1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
    • 2 Tablespoons Fresh Italian Parsley (if using dried, add 1 teaspoon)
    • 1 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

    Instructions
     

    • Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil over high heat.  Add a GENEROUS amount of salt to pot.  Stir the spaghetti into the boiling water.  Cook the pasta according to package instructions. While the pasta is cooking, carefully remove 1 to 1 ½ cups of pasta water and set aside.
    • While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, watching carefully so the garlic doesn't burn. Garlic can burn quickly and can turn a bitter flavor. Once the garlic is softened, remove from heat and add red pepper flakes.
    • Once pasta is cooked, drain, and then toss with garlic and olive oil mixture. Add ½ cup of pasta water and toss. Keep adding more to thin the sauce, if needed, up to 1 ½ cups. I suggest only doing it in ½ cup increments to allow the pasta to soak up the pasta water. This water is salty and starchy and adds flavor to the sauce.
    • Toss with parsley and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Salt according to taste. If you like spicy foods, add a touch more red pepper flakes.

    Notes

    *High-quality extra-virgin olive oil makes a big difference in this dish. Make sure it is fresh olive oil as the flavor really comes through.
    *Use freshly grated parmesan cheese (not the stuff you find in a green bottle)
    Keyword spaghetti aglio e olio
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Pasta

    • Spaghetti Carbonara
    • TikTok Million Dollar Baked Spaghetti
    • Creamy Lemon Orzo
    • Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gerry

      October 30, 2022 at 5:03 pm

      4 stars
      I made it work but as an amateur cook, I did not quite understand all the steps. After the garlic is ready and removed, do I continue cooking with the crushed red pepper now in the pan? Does the spaghetti cook as I follow the directions with the pasta water and the other ingredients? In the end, I did keep the heat on and made it work. Any suggestions would be welcome.

      Reply
    2. Holly

      August 18, 2022 at 11:40 am

      5 stars
      The recipe as printed worked for me 100%. When you drain the pasta and then add it to the garlic and olive oil, and then toss it, it gets a little dry as you toss. Adding the pasta water (as suggested in the recipe) 1/2 cup at a time, makes the pasta perfect. Thank you for the delicious recipe!

      Reply
      • Modern Honey

        August 19, 2022 at 1:44 pm

        5 stars
        Thank you, Holly! I appreciate you taking the time to write a kind comment and for trying out my pasta recipe.

        Reply
    3. Taylor

      May 24, 2022 at 2:50 pm

      5 stars
      So yummy and so easy!

      Reply
      • Modern Honey

        August 19, 2022 at 1:45 pm

        5 stars
        Thank you so much, Taylor, for trying it out and taking the time to comment. I am so glad you liked it!

        Reply
    4. Mindy

      December 23, 2021 at 6:48 pm

      I loved this! I did add 1/8 of a small red onion to this and only added 1tbsp of water as I had cooked the pasta fully before adding it to the garlic mixture. My whole family loved it too!

      Reply
      • Modern Honey

        August 19, 2022 at 1:46 pm

        5 stars
        That's a great idea to add a little bit of red onion. I bet it gave it some extra flavor. Thank you for sharing that tip!

        Reply
    5. Sonja

      September 28, 2021 at 5:08 pm

      This has been a comfort food for me for decades!

      BUT

      Instead of pepper flakes sauteed of all things Szechuan peppercorns with the garlic and it's spectacular! Lol fusion.

      Reply
    6. Joe

      February 19, 2021 at 4:57 pm

      5 stars
      Added spinach and fresh lemon juice

      Reply
    7. Anon

      January 24, 2021 at 8:25 pm

      2 stars
      Way too watery even with just 1 cup of “pasta water”. I would recommend skipping the pasta water all together

      Reply
    8. Marylyn

      October 31, 2020 at 5:59 am

      This is my first time visit at here and i am really pleassant to read everthing
      at single place.

      Reply
    9. Ginny Stramaglia

      August 15, 2020 at 5:12 pm

      4 stars
      I found it way too watery after adding 11/2 cups of pasta water.. Next time will use less.. I felt that it watered down the taste of the garlic & olive oil.

      Reply
    10. Marsha Lepola

      June 28, 2020 at 2:13 pm

      I would like to make this for two. Can you help? My husband and I love Angel hair with olive oil and garlic.

      Reply
    11. Pam

      June 16, 2020 at 4:47 pm

      Loved this recipe. Served with sauteed veal, chicken, and shrimp. Excellent! Thank you.

      Reply
    12. Caren

      April 15, 2020 at 2:07 pm

      4 stars
      Made this last night for dinner, it was good though it was missing something, I also added fresh lemon juice to it. I will experiment to see what the flavor it was lacking. It was very quick and easy to prepare which is great for a weeknight. Thank you

      Reply
    13. Jeff

      March 04, 2020 at 12:00 am

      The recipe can be improved here by explaining that you remove the pasta from the water a bit before it is done to your liking, and add it to the saucepan with garlic and some pasta water... the idea being that you finish cooking the pasta in the saucepan with your sauce.

      Reply
    14. Jacqui Rubsam

      January 08, 2020 at 5:28 pm

      5 stars
      Made this tonight! So yummy and super easy.

      Reply
    15. Gena

      June 02, 2019 at 1:08 pm

      5 stars
      The spaghetti was good, very spicy! Lol I used the 1 tsp of red pepper flakes so next time I will try 1/3 tsp. 😉 I was a little confused on the 1 1/2 cups pasta water - I assumed that meant pour it into the olive oil and garlic mixture. I poured 1/2 cup in and held off on the remaining 1 cup because I was wondering if I misunderstood and that it might make the pasta watery?

      Reply
      • Mindy Wendrick

        August 18, 2022 at 6:05 pm

        The pasta water is so that the Al dente pasta can cook further in the oil and garlic mix. I add a bit of red onion to mine as well, but that’s it. This recipe is perfect! It’s my favorite meal!

        Reply
    16. lisa

      April 24, 2019 at 9:17 am

      This is by far the best recipe I have ever tried. It made 3 beautiful loves of bread that were so easy to put together. The instructions were simple and easy to follow as baking is not my strong suite . Better then any store bought bread. Thank you for letting me take credit with my family for this wonderful bread. Lisa

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Melissa Stadler Modern Honey

    Hi, I'm Melissa Stadler! I am an Award-Winning Recipe Creator. Cover of Food Network Magazine. Two-Time Pillsbury Bake-Off Finalist. I am passionate about sharing the best recipes so you have success in the kitchen!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Chinese Orange Chicken
    • The Best Chicken Marinade Recipe
    • Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Crush Cookies
    • The Best Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe

    Recent Recipes

    • Mascarpone Cream
    • Crudite Platter (Veggie Tray with Dips)
    • Lemon Cupcakes
    • Passion Fruit Pie

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Info

    About

    Recipe Index

    Travel

    Privacy Policy

    Contact

    melissa@modernhoney.com

    Subscribe to my Recipes

    Follow

    Instagram

    Facebook

    Pinterest

    TikTok

    Copyright © 2022 Modern Honey