This Olive oil and Garlic Pasta known as Aglio e Olio in Italian is a traditional pasta dish originating in Naples known for its simplicity.
This olive oil and garlic pasta dish is all about the simplicity of the ingredients. It is also ready in only 15 minutes. That’s better than take-out, plus this is homemade so it’s better in every sense of the word.
With a handful of ingredients, the main sauce ingredients being olive oil and garlic, you’ll end up with one of the most delicious pastas you’ll ever try. I love to serve this with a side of Kale and Quinoa Salad, and a slice of Cheesy Garlic Bread.
WHAT IS AGLIO E OLIO
Aglio e Olio literally means olive oil and garlic. It is a traditional Italian pasta dish from Naples known for its simplicity. This dish is made by sautéing sliced garlic in olive oil, sometimes with the addition of red pepper flakes, or anchovies. You then thrown in some pasta such as spaghetti, linguini or fettuccine in and toss it well.
Olive oil and garlic really are the start of many wonderful sauces, but in this pasta dish, they actually get a chance to shine. This is really a very popular pasta dish in Italy and whenever I think of Italians eating pasta, this is what comes to mind.
HOW TO MAKE AGLIO E OLIO
Making this pasta dish really couldn’t get any easier. I do love to add a whole head of garlic and about 2 tsp of red chili flakes for that extra little bit of heat. All you have to do is fry the garlic and red pepper flakes until they’re golden brown and you hear them sizzling then just toss in the pasta.
Although I served it with Parmesan cheese, many Italians would argue that the cheese isn’t necessary. In fact it isn’t even a welcome addition. However, I love my Parmesan cheese so I grated some on mine.
LOOKING FOR MORE ITALIAN PASTA RECIPES? TRY THESE:
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Aglio e Olio
Ingredients
- 1 lb fettuccine uncooked, or any pasta
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1 head garlic peeled and sliced
- 2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/2 tsp pepper or to taste
- 1/2 cup parsley fresh, chopped
Optional toppings
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- lemon juice freshly squeezed
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and heavily salt it. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente, or slightly underdone.
- While pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet or saute pan over medium heat.
- Once the oil is simmering add the garlic slices and the red pepper flakes and stir. Cook until the garlic turns slightly golden brown. Season with salt and pepper.
- Lower the heat to a medium-low and add the cooked pasta, drained and the parsley and toss. If the pasta is too dry add some of the pasta water, about half a cup.
- Garnish with lemon juice and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Video
Notes
- Any pasta such as spaghetti, linguini or fettuccine can be used in this dish.
- Make sure the reserve about a cup of the pasta water to add to the pasta sauce as needed if the pasta is too dry. If the pasta is too saucy continue cooking for another minute or so until the pasta absorbs some of the sauce.
- Nutrition: Nutritional information includes Parmesan cheese. Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Hi there Jo,
So enjoy getting and trying new recipes…I am so excited to sign up to receive many of your other simple to make recipes from the comfort of my own home and using I gredie Rd that are most likely in the pantry every day 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing…God Bless you!
This has become one of my personal favourites. My hubby only eats spicy meat sauce, so this simple, yet delicious, recipe is my go-to-dinner when he has a dinner meeting. I have pared it down to a single serving and always use the Parmesan and extra lemon juice.
The lemon juice really is the secret ingredient! We’re so happy you love this recipe 🙂
Love this one Jo. It’s amazing on its own or as a side dish. Wanted to ask your thoughts on using the pre shredded parm vs fresh. I do use fresh but am tempted & lazy to try the other stuff. Do you think it messes with the results?
We use both pre-shredded parm and fresh parm depending on the day!
Simple with lots of flavor! Will be a favorite in our home
Made this and brought it to work. Everyone slowly drifted to my area because the aroma is so fantastic. LOVE this recipe. I used basil rather than parsley. Excellent and so easy!
Been making this for at least 50 years! It’s how I make my Clam sauce. Just add clams!
Love the recipe. Any thing with few ingredients and less time to prepare. charlotte
I made it just as recipe stated. Sooo good!
I added Italian sausage and wow! A main meal with kale added in!!
So good! My kids thought it was too spicy, but I may have been a bit loose with my red pepper flake distribution… ha ha! So delicious, though, and a new house staple! Thanks
– Laura
Gracias 🙏🏼 Great pasta my family enjoyed their ate it all thank you for the great recipes
So glad you enjoyed it!
Simple and delicious. You can even add shrimp to it.
Good cold?
This is definitely best served hot. However, the sauce won’t harden in the fridge so it would be okay cold.
Easy and can add just about anything to it