30 minutes is all it takes to make amazing restaurant style Spaghetti Aglio E Olio. Its buttery, garlicky, and a little spicy. There isn’t a more perfect bowl of pasta than that!
I am a sucker for pasta dinners. They’re easy, super quick, and always a hit with the fam. Spaghetti Aglio E Olio is one of my favorite pasta dinners that my family and I make. Of course, we all love it! It’s pasta cooked al dente with a butter and garlic sauce! That’s the most perfect pasta bowl you can imagine!
I’m not quite sure why but every time that I cook pasta or an Italian inspired dish, I turn on Italian music. It’s become a part of my cooking routine. I’ve even created a specific playlist called “anyone can cook” that is dedicated to Italian cooking. (Haha! I sound crazy, I know, but trust me, it’s grea
Pasta Variations
While Spaghetti Aglio E Olio is absolutely amazing on its own, its even better with variations like the ones below!
- Cheese!! – I feel like this is a given, but, shred some cheese on top of your pasta!
- Pasta Type – This was something that I messed around with in my version of the recipe and I ended up really liking the finished product. Spaghetti Aglio E Olio is traditionally made with spaghetti, as the name suggests. I’m not the biggest fan of normal spaghetti so I tried mini penne and I was blown away! Honestly, this pasta is what was left in the grocery store (because of corona), but
it’s so good! It’s a game-changer in this recipe! (But, I completely understand if mini penne isn’t really your jam. I think that any pasta will still taste great, just be creative!) - Veggies – This sounds kinda weird but this dish is a great way to get some extra veggies in! You can add some sautéed mushrooms, bell pepper, or even cherry tomatoes for a fun twist and a nice healthy kick!
- Protein – My favorite protein topping to this dish is my fried chicken tenders recipe. The chicken addition adds another level of flavor that works amazingly with the garlicky sauce. Fish also pairs wonderfully with this pasta if you prefer it over chicken
Alright, I can’t wait any long for this pasta, lets get cooking!! (Neither can my puppy! 😉
Spaghetti Aglio E Olio Recipe
AuthorbasilanddillDifficultyBeginnerBegin by putting a pot of water to boil and salt it heavily. The water should almost be as salty as ocean water. Once your water is boiling, pour in the dry pasta and set a time for how long your pasta has to cook. While the water is boiling/the pasta is cooking, work on the garlic!
Peel and thinly slice the cloves of garlic. If you're on a time crunch, feel free to just put the garlic through a garlic press and move on. On medium-low heat, in 1 tbsp butter, saute the garlic. Lightly salt the garlic if you would like. Keep an eye on the garlic while its cooking so it doesn't burn. The garlic can go from a beautiful golden brown to burnt black crisps in a matter of seconds.
When the garlic becomes that beautiful golden brown put the pasta in. Don't strain the pasta because you will lose all of the yummy pasta water. Instead, use a big spoon with holes to transfer the pasta into the pan with the cooked garlic. Then grab a ladle and pour 2-3 ladle fulls into the pasta and garlic mixture. Add 3 tablespoons of butter (or olive oil if you prefer that) and mix the pasta.
Plate the pasta and top it with parmesan, mozzarella, and red pepper flakes. (If you're not a fan of spice, you can completely omit those and it will still be great!) And enjoy!
Ingredients
Directions
Begin by putting a pot of water to boil and salt it heavily. The water should almost be as salty as ocean water. Once your water is boiling, pour in the dry pasta and set a time for how long your pasta has to cook. While the water is boiling/the pasta is cooking, work on the garlic!
Peel and thinly slice the cloves of garlic. If you're on a time crunch, feel free to just put the garlic through a garlic press and move on. On medium-low heat, in 1 tbsp butter, saute the garlic. Lightly salt the garlic if you would like. Keep an eye on the garlic while its cooking so it doesn't burn. The garlic can go from a beautiful golden brown to burnt black crisps in a matter of seconds.
When the garlic becomes that beautiful golden brown put the pasta in. Don't strain the pasta because you will lose all of the yummy pasta water. Instead, use a big spoon with holes to transfer the pasta into the pan with the cooked garlic. Then grab a ladle and pour 2-3 ladle fulls into the pasta and garlic mixture. Add 3 tablespoons of butter (or olive oil if you prefer that) and mix the pasta.
Plate the pasta and top it with parmesan, mozzarella, and red pepper flakes. (If you're not a fan of spice, you can completely omit those and it will still be great!) And enjoy!
Notes
I know that this recipe is a bit different than traditional Spaghetti Aglio E Olio but I really love it so I figured I would share my twist on the classic! 🙂