Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Name: Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 200 g (7 oz) spaghetti; 1 tbsp kosher salt, for the pasta water; 60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil; 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; ½ tsp red pepper flakes; 2 tbsp chopped parsley; 1 tsp lemon zest, plus a squeeze of juice; grated Parmesan, to serve (optional; not vegan)

Garlic, olive oil, chili and pasta water turned into a silky sauce. Pantry magic.

Total: 20 min
Hands-on: 15 min
Skill: Easy
Serves: 2
Cost for two: about $4

VegetarianVeganDairy-free

Jump to recipe

Aglio e olio is the late-night Roman classic that proves impressive doesn't mean expensive. With garlic, olive oil, chili and starchy pasta water you can build a glossy sauce that clings to every strand. Technique carries the whole dish, which makes it a quietly brilliant way to show you can cook.

**Pasta aglio e olio from the movie Chef** Babish Culinary Universe on YouTube

Video by Babish Culinary Universe, embedded from YouTube. Their method may differ slightly from ours.

Ingredients

Serves

200 g (7 oz) spaghetti
1 tbsp kosher salt, for the pasta water
60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tsp lemon zest, plus a squeeze of juice
grated Parmesan, to serve (optional; not vegan)

Method

Bring 2 liters (2 quarts) of water to a boil with the salt. Using less water than usual concentrates the starch you need for the sauce. Cook the spaghetti for 2 minutes less than the package says.
Meanwhile, put the oil and garlic in a cold, large skillet and set over medium-low heat. Cook 4–6 minutes, swirling, until the garlic edges are pale gold. Add the chili for 30 seconds.
Add a ladle (about 120 ml / ½ cup) of pasta water to the skillet to stop the garlic cooking.
Use tongs to move the spaghetti straight into the skillet with another splash of water. Toss hard over medium-high heat for 1–2 minutes until the liquid turns into a glossy sauce that coats the pasta.
Off the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest and juice. Taste for salt and twirl into nests on warm plates.

Tips

The toss is the technique. Vigorous movement plus starch plus fat equals emulsion.
If the pasta looks dry, add pasta water a tablespoon at a time. It should look saucy, not oily.

Make ahead

Slice the garlic and chop the parsley ahead; this dish is cooked to order.

Plating

Twirl each portion with tongs inside a ladle, slide onto the plate as a tall nest, and finish with a few chili flakes and a drizzle of oil.

What to drink

Wine: Verdicchio or a young Chianti.

Zero-proof: Blood-orange soda over ice.

Serve it with

Little Gem Salad with Lemon-Dijon Vinaigrette

Questions

Why did my sauce split?

Too little starch or not enough tossing. Add a splash of pasta water and toss hard over the heat again.

Build a full menu around this dishStarter, dessert, drinks, shopping list and timeline. Cooked it? Enter this month's contestSend a photo of your plate for a chance to win. Want a chef to cook it for you?Get private chef options for your date.