This spaghetti aglio e olio is the kind of simple, comforting Italian pasta that gives you a flavorful, satisfying dinner in about 15 minutes, using just pantry staples and heart-healthy olive oil — perfect for an easy, budget-friendly weeknight meal.
For more easy pasta recipes, check out our smashed broccoli pasta, Mediterranean mushroom pasta, lemon orzo with zucchini, and Greek pasta salad.
A 15 Minute Pasta Dinner with Simple Pantry Ingredients
Spaghetti aglio e olio is proof that simple food can be deeply satisfying 🍝
With just garlic, olive oil, and pasta, you get a nutritious, flavorful meal that’s easy to love and easy to make.
Here in Umbria, Louise and I cook this classic Italian pasta recipe when we want something comforting but light. It’s ready fast, uses pantry staples, and never feels heavy 🌿
This garlic olive oil pasta fits beautifully into a Mediterranean diet pasta style of eating. It’s naturally low in saturated fats, rich in extra virgin olive oil, and supports a balanced, everyday diet 🫒
Best of all, it’s a 15 minute pasta dinner you’ll come back to again and again.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Spaghetti: classic choice for a silky sauce and the traditional feel of spaghetti with garlic and oil. Substitute linguine, bucatini, or whole wheat pasta for extra fiber.
- Extra virgin olive oil: the heart of the dish, adding richness and flavor while staying naturally low in saturated fats. The better the oil, the better the pasta tastes.
- Garlic: finely chopped or grated for maximum aroma and sweetness. Substitute garlic paste, or use roasted garlic for a milder flavor.
- Fresh red chili: adds gentle heat that wakes everything up. Substitute red pepper flakes, or skip for a milder, family-friendly garlic and oil pasta version.
- Fresh parsley: brings freshness and balance to this weeknight pasta recipe.
- Salt: seasons both pasta and sauce so flavors shine. Sea salt or kosher salt work best.
- Reserved pasta water: creates a silky, glossy finish without cream, keeping this a budget-friendly pasta dinner. Authentic aglio e olio uses no cream or parmesan.
How to Make Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
Step 1: Cook the Pasta and Prep the Ingredients
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Add the spaghetti and stir once or twice so it doesn’t stick. Cook until just shy of al dente, about 1 minute less than the package says. Before draining, scoop out a cup of the starchy pasta water and set it aside.
While the pasta cooks, finely chop or grate the garlic, parsley, and fresh red chili. Keep everything close to the stove so this 15 minute pasta dinner comes together smoothly.
Step 2: Gently Infuse the Oil
Pour the extra virgin olive oil into a large skillet and set the heat to low. When the oil is warm but not sizzling, add the garlic and chili. Let them gently sizzle for about 30 seconds, then turn off the heat. The residual warmth will flavor the oil without burning the garlic. If the pan gets too hot, lift it off the burner for a few seconds.
Step 3: Add the Parsley
Just before the pasta finishes cooking, place the skillet back on low heat. When the garlic starts to sizzle again, stir in the parsley. Let it warm in the oil for 15 to 30 seconds, just until fragrant and bright.
Step 4: Toss and Finish
Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet. Pour in 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water and a pinch of salt. Toss over medium heat until the pasta turns silky, glossy, and fully coated.
When the sauce clings to the strands and there’s no liquid left in the pan, your spaghetti with garlic and oil is ready to serve.
Tips
- Warm the oil gently before adding garlic: keep the heat low so the garlic softly sizzles instead of frying. If it starts coloring too quickly, lift the pan off the heat for a moment to avoid bitterness.
- Skip oil in the pasta water: it doesn’t prevent sticking and can actually stop the sauce from clinging later. A good stir in the first minute works much better.
- Drain the pasta a little early: finishing it in the skillet lets the spaghetti soak up flavor and develop that smooth, glossy coating.
- Use pasta water with intention: add it slowly while tossing until the oil and starch come together into a silky sauce, not a greasy one. This is what makes great Italian garlic olive oil pasta.
- Add parsley at the very end: it only needs a few seconds in the warm oil to release its aroma. Cooking it longer dulls both color and flavor.
- Heat the chili carefully: a short warm-up in the oil is enough to release aroma and gentle heat. Too much heat makes it sharp and overpowering.
- Choose a good extra virgin olive oil: with so few ingredients, quality matters. A fresh, fragrant oil gives depth and richness to this traditional aglio e olio.
- Season the water generously: this is the only chance to flavor the pasta from the inside, and it makes a noticeable difference.
- Serve right away: this pasta shines when it’s freshly tossed. Letting it sit causes it to absorb the sauce and lose that silky finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditionally, no. Authentic versions rely on olive oil, garlic, and pasta water for flavor and creaminess. That said, some people enjoy a small sprinkle of cheese, even though it’s not classic.
Garlic becomes bitter when it cooks too fast or at high heat. Keep the oil warm, not hot, and remove the pan from the heat if the garlic starts browning quickly.
This classic Italian pasta recipe is meant to have gentle warmth, not heat. You can easily adjust the chili to taste or leave it out entirely.
Not really. It’s best served right away. Like most weeknight pasta recipes, it tastes freshest when the sauce is silky and just clinging to the pasta.
Spaghetti is traditional, but linguine or bucatini also work well and hold the sauce nicely.
This usually means not enough pasta water was added. The starch in the water helps the oil turn into a smooth sauce rather than pooling at the bottom.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
- Cauliflower Pasta with Garlic and Parmesan
- One-Pot Pasta e Fagioli
- Easy Lentil Bolognese
- Pasta alla Norma (Eggplant Pasta)
- Pastina
- Creamy Asparagus Pasta
- Pastina
- Lentil Pasta
If you tried this Spaghetti Aglio e Olio recipe or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it goes in the comments. We love hearing from you!
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (Easy Garlic Olive Oil Pasta)
Ingredients
- 12 ounces spaghetti cook it in ¾ gallon (3.5 Liters) of water with 1½ tablespoons (20 grams) of salt
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic grated, minced, or thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or a finely chopped red chili. Add more or less heat to taste.
- 3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a big pot of water to a boil and add a good amount of salt (the water should taste a little salty). Add 12 ounces spaghetti and stir once or twice so it doesn’t stick. Cook about 1 minute less than the package says.Before draining, scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water and save it.While the pasta cooks, finely chop or grate 3 cloves garlic and 3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley. Keep them nearby.
- Flavor the Oil: Pour ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil into a large pan and turn the heat to low. When the oil is warm (not sizzling, not smoking), add the garlic and chili. Let them gently sizzle for about 30 seconds, then turn off the heat so the garlic doesn’t burn.
- Add the Parsley: Just before the pasta finishes cooking, turn the heat back on low. When the garlic starts sizzling again, add the parsley. Stir for 30 seconds, just until it smells good and looks bright green.
- Toss Everything Together: Add the drained spaghetti to the pan. Pour in ¼ cup of the saved pasta water and add a small pinch of salt. Toss over medium heat until the pasta looks shiny and coated (1 to 2 minutes) and there’s no liquid left in the pan. Serve right away and enjoy.
Notes
- Add Protein
Stir in buttery cannellini or butter beans for a plant-based boost, or sauté shrimp directly in the garlicky oil for a simple upgrade. - Brighten with Lemon
Finish with lemon zest and a small squeeze of juice. It adds freshness and turns the dish into a light, lemony pasta that feels completely new. - Add More Vegetables
Fold in a handful of spinach and let it gently wilt, or toss in tender broccoli florets that have been lightly steamed or boiled. - Add a Spoon of Miso
It may sound unexpected, but a small spoon of white miso melts into the sauce and adds deep, savory umami without overpowering the garlic and olive oil.
- Go low and slow with the oil – Warm it gently so the garlic softly sizzles, not fries. If it browns too fast, lift the pan off the heat.
- Don’t add oil to pasta water – It doesn’t stop sticking and actually keeps sauce from clinging. Just stir well at the start.
- Drain a little early – Finishing the pasta in the pan helps it soak up flavor and turn glossy.
- Use pasta water on purpose – Add it slowly while tossing until the sauce looks silky, not greasy.
- Parsley goes in last – It only needs a few seconds to smell fresh and bright.
- Warm chili briefly – A short heat brings gentle spice; too much makes it harsh.
- Use good olive oil – With so few ingredients, fresh extra virgin olive oil makes a big difference.
- Salt the water well – This is how the pasta gets flavor all the way through.
- Serve right away – This pasta is best hot and silky, straight from the pan.
Nutrition
Hi! We are Nico & Louise
We’re here to share delicious, easy, and healthy plant-based recipes (vegetarian & vegan) 🌿✨.
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Terrific and very easy! I will definitely be making this again.
Loved this recipe I added the cannellini and spinach making it a hardy comfort food meal that’s greasy for any season spring, summer, fall, or winter add a great glass of wine and you’re all set for a pleasant evening! Thanks for the recipe
Loved this I added the cannellini and spinach doing that makes it a hardy comfort food meal that’s good for any season! Thanks
No pepper at all in mine, and I’ll use a bit more oil😉👏
Just and FYI My husband is not a cook and we are not vegetarians . I asked him to make this and it was stupid easy and tasted divine . We went to a fancy Italian restaurant in our home town of Guelph Ontario and both agreed this pasta dish tasted better !
I love how easy your recipes are and they are so so tasty
Thanks kindly , bless you both !
Wonderful to hear, Trudy!! I am super happy that you both enjoyed it. ❤️
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment here, we appreciate your feedback.
Love this recipe: super easy to make with few ingredients and it tastes sooo good!