15-Minute Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil

This was my mom's favorite dish to make for us growing up because she could guarantee we would all eat it. This 15-minute Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil, or Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, will be a new weekly favorite at your house, whether for a full meal or a side dish.

A Quick Look at The Recipe

• ✅Recipe Name: Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil (Aglio e Olio)
• ⏲️Ready in: 15 minutes
• 👪Makes: 6 servings
• 📋Main ingredients: Spaghetti, Garlic, Olive Oil
• ⭐Why You'll Love This Recipe: It's ready in less than 15 minutes, and you can serve this for dinner or alongside your favorite protein.

Want some more quick pasta recipes? Try ourPasta with Peas and PancettaorPasta with Cauliflower.

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A Couple of Simple Ingredients

We all need a go-to recipe when the kids are going crazy, you have a hundred things to do, and you need to get a meal on the table. 15-minute spaghetti with garlic and oil, my mom made us at least 100 times when my brothers and I were growing up.

There are a few different ways to make this recipe, but to get a 15-minute spaghetti with garlic and oil, I want to use the least amount of ingredients, similar to Pasta and Potatoes (Pasta e Patate). The only ingredients you NEED are spaghetti, garlic, oil, and salt. And if you want to be a little fancy, you can add parsley, fresh parmesan, and crushed red pepper.

Italian recipes with just a few simple, high-quality ingredients like Bucatini Amatricianaor this spaghetti with garlic and oil, are perfect for weeknight meals, plus they're the basis for Italian cooking over thousands of years!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

This is such a simple recipe that there isn't much to substitute, but just in case, here are some notes!

• Spaghetti- Substitute any long pasta like angel hair or linguine. Look for your pasta to be slow-dried and bronze cut. This will help with creating that classic silky smooth sauce because these types of pastas release a lot of starch into the water. See the image of pasta above.
• Crushed red pepper- Leave out the crushed red pepper if you or your kids don't like spicy! If they do, try our Spicy Marinara or Spicy Chicken Riggies.
• Olive oil- Use a high-quality extra virgin olive oil since this will be the main flavor in the sauce. Olive oils that are made from single types of olives or grown in one specific place are usually best.
• Salt- Heavily salt the water for pasta. This will help the pasta absorb the sauce and flavor, and make the difference between homemade pasta and restaurant-quality pasta.

*Please see the recipe card below for more information on the ingredients.

How to Make Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil in 15 Minutes

Step 1: First, we are going to start by getting your water boiling. Add your pasta to the boiling water.

Step 2: While the water is heating, bring a frying pan to medium heat. Add extra virgin olive oil to the pan. Toss in the garlic and crushed red pepper and saute for 60-90 seconds. Stir it often. The garlic should have a light brown edge when complete.

Step 3: Add pasta water to the sauteed garlic. Once the pasta is al dente, use kitchen tongs to collect the spaghetti and add it right to the pan. Don't strain it. Stir vigorously until the pasta starts to look like it is silky. Add extra pasta water if it begins to look dry until the oil and water emulsify into a silky but lightly creamy sauce.

Step 4: Add parmesan and parsley. Toss the spaghetti well and serve with extra parmesan.

Once it's ready, it should look the slightest bit creamy. The oil shouldn't be separating from the pasta water. If you love spaghetti with garlic and oil, try a lemony version with Lemon Pasta with Spinach or a more savory late-night version with our Garlic Anchovy Pasta with Toasted Breadcrumbs.

Pro-Tips

1. Don't prepare the garlic ahead of time, because the longer it sits out after being cut, the more potent the flavor and fragrance will be.
2. Emulsion: The whole point of adding the pasta water to the oil is to create an emulsion, so when you're stirring the pasta, you need to be vigorous. Make sure you're moving it around a lot. Use a wooden spoon or tongs with rubber edges. 
3. Timing is everything on this dish. Yes, it's super easy to make, but the key is for the pasta to be ready as soon as the garlic is done.

Serving Suggestions for Aglio e Olio

• Classic Italian Proteins- Serve spaghetti with garlic and oil with the classics that my mom served, likeItalian Chicken Cutletsor No Egg Chicken Cutlets, Restaurant-Style Chicken Francese, orThe BEST Chicken Piccata.
• Salads- We used to have spaghetti and garlic and oil with a Grilled Chicken Caesar salad with Traditional Caesar Dressingand Homemade Italian Parmesan Croutons!
• Vegetable Sides- Perfect to serve with easy veggie sides like Italian Lacinato Kale Recipe (Tuscan), Garlic Parmesan Green Beans, or Roasted Carrots and Fennel.
• Desserts- If you're getting a quick dinner on the table, you might also want to have a quick dessert like our Italian Rice Pudding (Arborio Rice) done in under 30 minutes!

FAQs about Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil

How to reheat Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil

The best way to reheat this dish is to add a little olive oil to a pan over medium heat and add your spaghetti to the pan. Toss the spaghetti until it is the desired temperature. Add extra olive oil as needed.

How to make spaghetti with garlic and oil creamy?

Adding pasta water to this dish with a little bit of parmesan cheese will make this dish silky smooth and creamy.

What is Spaghetti with garlic and oil called in Italian?

It's referred to as spaghetti aglio e olio, which is a direct translation of spaghetti with garlic and oil.

Next time you're in a pinch and you need to get something fresh on the table, try our spaghetti! A 15-minute spaghetti with garlic and oil is a crucial recipe for new parents.

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