SPAGHETTI WITH GARLIC AND OLIVE OIL

This humble and fragrant spaghetti with garlic and olive oil brings me back to my childhood. It’s a classic Italian pasta dish that requires a few cheap ingredients, little effort, and it’s ready in 10 minutes.

It’s a super quick spaghetti recipe, delicious and packed with flavor, which comes in handy any time. Absolutely perfect for sharing with friends or after a long day, when you decide pasta is for dinner tonight.

Spaghetti Aglio e olio (garlic and olive oil) is simple, cheap, good, satisfying, and fun. 

I promise, the lovely smell of garlic and chili flakes, gently fried in olive oil, will cheer you up!

• WHAT YOU NEED FOR THIS RECIPE:

  • Regular or whole wheat spaghetti
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Garlic
  • Fresh or dried chili flakes
  • Salt
  • Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • Parsley (optional)

HOW TO MAKE PASTA WITH AGLIO E OLIO?
(Note: ingredient quantities and method are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post)

• Cook your spaghetti until al dente
• Meantime, fry gently garlic and chili in olive oil
• Drain spaghetti, reserve 1/2 cup cooking water
• Add spaghetti and parley to the skillet

• Add as much cooking water as needed to make the pasta moist
• Stir well to coat
• If you don’t keep it vegan, serve with parmesan cheese
• Sprinkle extra chili flakes and parsley, if you like. Enjoy!

EASY, HEALTHY AND INEXPENSIVE!

First things first, a skillet of this fragrant and spicy spaghetti comes together in 10 MINUTES and costs less than 90 cents per serving!

Also, this simple homemade spaghetti dish is likely healthier than an expensive last-minute takeaway, and if you go for whole grain pasta you’ll get more natural fiber and micronutrients than white pasta. Plus, extra virgin olive oil features a long list of health benefits and coats your pasta beautifully.

This is simple, real, food.

MORE DELICIOUS PASTA RECIPES READY IN 10 MINUTES?

• 10-Minute lemon ricotta spaghetti
• Raw cherry tomato pasta
• 10-minute cream cheese pasta
• Sun dried tomato pesto pasta

Recipe updated: originally posted in November 2018, I’ve tweaked the post adding more notes and new pictures.

RECIPE NOTES & TIPS

Only a few basic ingredients, but their quality will make the difference! Pasta, garlic and olive oil are the key ingredients in this recipe.

PASTA

What’s better than spaghetti? Long pasta is simply perfect with garlic and olive oil, you will love wrapping spaghetti or linguine around your fork!

And when you chose pasta, have a proper look at the label and go for durum wheat semolina pasta. Pasta brand matters, and although premium quality pasta is a bit more expensive than basic pasta, it’s resilient, it has a more robust texture.

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

Extra virgin olive oil is the flavor you want here.

A good extra virgin olive oil smells and tastes good, clean and fresh. The flavor can be fruity, floral, herbal or even subtle, but never overpowering in a way that indicates rancidity.
Tasteless olive oil or other regular vegetable oil won’t work.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD A TWIST?

To make it more special, for people who think this spaghetti with garlic and olive oil is too simple, add a further burst of flavor by including a couple of anchovy fillets and fry them along with the garlic and chili flakes.

Also, marinated artichokes, olives or sun-dried tomatoes will take this simple dish to the next level with a Mediterranean twist.

This is a tasty, inexpensive and one of the most crowd-friendly dishes for your last-minute parties, or just the thing when you get home late or don’t feel like cooking.

Simple food is the best.

And if you make this spaghetti with garlic and olive oil, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it or tag a photo #theclevermeal on Instagram. I would love to hear from you!