Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
Spaghetti with garlic, olive oil & chili
Ingredients
- 400 g Spaghetti
- 6 cloves Garlic
- 90 ml Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Red pepper flakes
- 40 g Salt
- 3 tbsp Parsley (optional)
Method
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it heavily.
- Slice the garlic thin, lengthwise — never minced.
- Chop the parsley.
- Drop the spaghetti into the boiling water and cook one minute shy of al dente (firm to the bite).
- While the spaghetti cooks, warm the oil with the garlic in a wide skillet over medium heat until pale gold, about 3 minutes.
- Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the red pepper flakes.
- Reserve a mugful of pasta water, then drain the spaghetti.
- Toss the pasta in the skillet off heat, adding pasta water by the spoonful until glossy.
- Finish with the parsley and a thread of fresh oil and serve.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
Spaghetti aglio e olio — literally "garlic and oil" — is the purest expression of Roman and southern Italian pantry cooking, a pasta built from almost nothing and beloved precisely for it. There is no sauce in the usual sense; the flavor is garlic gently cooked in good olive oil, sharpened with red pepper flakes and brightened with parsley, emulsified into a light coating by pasta water. It's the dish Italians make late at night, after a party, or when the fridge is bare, and its reputation rests entirely on getting a few simple moves exactly right.
The technique here is the whole recipe. Slicing the garlic thin and lengthwise rather than mincing it lets it cook slowly to a pale gold without scorching, so it turns sweet and mellow instead of bitter — the difference between a great version and a harsh one. Pulling the pan off the heat before the chili goes in protects the garlic, and tossing the pasta off-heat with spoonfuls of starchy cooking water is what draws the oil and water into a glossy, clinging sauce rather than a greasy slick. Cooking the spaghetti a minute shy of al dente leaves room for it to finish in the pan. Twenty minutes, a handful of ingredients, and no place to hide — which is exactly why cooks love it.
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Spaghetti Aglio e Olio?
A serving has about 569 calories — 13.8g protein, 77.7g carbs, 22.5g fat, 3.8g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Spaghetti Aglio e Olio gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Spaghetti. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
How long does Spaghetti Aglio e Olio take to make?
About 20 minutes start to finish, but only around 12 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Spaghetti Aglio e Olio?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out parsley — it's optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Spaghetti Aglio e Olio make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.