Aglio e Olio Express Pasta (Print)

Spaghetti in garlic olive oil with chili flakes, ready in minutes with fresh parsley and optional Parmesan.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 7 oz dried spaghetti

→ Infused Olive Oil

02 - 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
03 - 4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
04 - 1 tsp red chili flakes

→ Garnish

05 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
06 - Sea salt, to taste
07 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
08 - 2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente, approximately 8 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
02 - While pasta cooks, warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add sliced garlic and gently sauté, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden, about 1 to 2 minutes. Avoid burning the garlic.
03 - Incorporate red chili flakes into the garlic oil and stir for 10 seconds to release aroma.
04 - Transfer drained spaghetti to the skillet with garlic and chili oil. Toss thoroughly to coat the pasta, adding reserved pasta water gradually to loosen the sauce as needed.
05 - Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Remove from heat, mix in chopped parsley, and distribute onto serving plates.
06 - Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired and serve immediately.

# Chef Secrets:

01 -
  • It's genuinely done in ten minutes, no hidden steps or waiting around.
  • The ingredient list is so short you probably have everything already, which means dinner happens without a grocery run.
  • There's something almost meditative about watching garlic transform in hot oil—it feels like cooking, not just following orders.
02 -
  • Don't walk away from the garlic once it hits the oil—the difference between golden and burnt happens in about 20 seconds and you'll taste it immediately in a way you can't fix.
  • That pasta water isn't optional filler, it's the secret to a sauce that clings to each strand instead of pooling at the bottom of the plate.
  • Serving right after you cook is not a suggestion, it's mandatory—the dish breaks apart as it sits and gets heavy instead of silky.
03 -
  • Buy the best olive oil your budget allows—this dish has nowhere to hide, so every ingredient matters, and mediocre oil will taste flat no matter what else you do right.
  • Slice your garlic by hand or on a mandoline if you have one; the food processor bruises it and makes it taste sharp instead of sweet and golden.
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