Aglio e Olio Recipe
Add Preferred Source
Aglio e olio is the pasta I make on the nights when the fridge is nearly bare, and I’ve got nothing left in me to plan a real dinner. Garlic, good olive oil, a little chili, and whatever long pasta is in the pantry: that’s the whole dish.
After cooking this way for more than forty years, I’ve learned that the pasta water is what turns oily noodles into a sauce that clings, and I’ll show you exactly when to add it. With the red pepper flakes in the pan, this is aglio e olio e peperoncino, the garlic, oil, and chili version I make most often.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate, if you purchase through those links, I earn a commission. Thank you!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It comes together in under 20 minutes from things you probably keep on hand, so it works on an empty-fridge night.
- The flavor rests on one move done well: garlic cooked slowly in olive oil until it’s pale gold, never browned.
- The reserved pasta water pulls the oil and starch into a glossy sauce, so you get coated strands instead of a pool of oil at the bottom of the bowl.
- It’s a full meal on its own, though it takes a salad or bread happily. It also scales up: toss in vegetables, or on a night you want something greener and heartier, my Pasta Primavera uses green veggies along with cherry tomatoes and short pasta.
- You set the heat yourself. The red pepper flakes can be a faint warmth or a real kick, depending on your hand.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.
- Olive oil. This is half the dish, so use one you’d happily taste on its own. A good extra-virgin oil carries the garlic; a flat, cheap oil gives you flat, cheap pasta.
- Garlic. A whole head sounds like a lot until you taste it. Slice it thin so it cooks evenly and infuses the oil instead of scorching in spots.
- Red pepper flakes. These bring the gentle heat. Start with less than you think and add more at the table, since they keep building in the warm oil.
- Parmesan. Traditional aglio e olio skips the cheese, so this is my own addition for a little salty richness. I use a vegetarian Parmesan here, since the traditional kind is made with animal rennet, so check the label if a meat-free kitchen matters to you.
- Parsley. Flat-leaf, chopped, stirred in at the end for a fresh green note against all that garlic and oil. Curly works if that’s what the store has.
- Linguine. I use linguine because the flat strands hold the garlic oil well. Spaghetti is the traditional shape for this dish and works beautifully, and fettuccine does too; any long strand carries the sauce better than a short shape like penne.
How to Make Aglio e Olio
A complete printable recipe and the measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the recipe card below.
Boil the pasta
Boil the linguine in well-salted water, and before you drain it, save about half a cup of that starchy cooking water.
Sauté the garlic
While the pasta cooks, warm the olive oil over medium heat and add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes, watching closely: you want the garlic pale gold and fragrant, never brown, because browned garlic turns the whole dish bitter. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Toss the pasta
Lower heat to medium-low, then add the drained pasta to the garlic oil along with the Parmesan and parsley, then splash in the reserved pasta water a little at a time, tossing as you go, until the oil and starch come together into a sauce that coats every strand.
If it looks oily or dry, it usually just needs a bit more pasta water and a harder toss. Optionally, garnish with extra Parmesan and parsley on top if you like.
Recipe Notes and Expert Tips
- Cook the garlic low and slow. Keep the heat at medium or just below and don’t wander off, because garlic slips from pale gold to brown in seconds and takes the whole pan bitter with it. If it does catch, tip it out and start the oil again; that’s faster than trying to rescue it.
- Salt the pasta water like the sea. This is your only real chance to season the pasta itself. Under-salt here and no amount of cheese at the end will save a bland bowl.
- Treat the pasta water as the sauce. Add it a splash at a time while you toss, off the heat, so the starch and oil bind into something glossy that clings. It’s the same way I get soft cheese to coat the noodles in my Boursin Cheese Pasta.
- Toss in a deep pan. A deep-sided skillet gives you room to move the strands around without oil going all over the stove.
Recipe Variations
- Leave out the Parmesan for the traditional version, which is vegan and dairy-free. It’s the original form, tested by generations of Italian cooks rather than by me.
- Sauté a handful of mushrooms or some broccoli with the garlic. I’ve tested both, and they hold up well in the oil.
- A squeeze of lemon juice at the end lifts the garlic and oil. I make it this way often, so treat it as tested rather than a guess.
- Change the pasta. Spaghetti or fettuccine both stand in for the linguine, and the swap is well tested; any long strand carries the sauce, while short shapes like penne don’t hold the oil as well.
How to Store Leftovers
Leftovers keep for up to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container, and you should get them in there within 2 hours of cooking so the pasta stays safe to eat.
To reheat, warm it gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water or a little olive oil to loosen the sauce; high heat makes the oil separate and the garlic turn sharp. I wouldn’t freeze this one, since the oil-and-water sauce breaks on thawing and the parsley darkens.
Aglio e olio is best the day you make it. It doesn’t hold well as a make-ahead dish, since the sauce is at its best straight from the pan, so cook it to order rather than in advance.
What to Serve With Aglio e Olio
Aglio e olio is a full meal on its own, but it likes a little company. I usually put out a simple green salad with a sharp lemon dressing to cut through the oil, and some warm French bread for wiping the last of the garlic from the bowl. When people are over, I’ll add garlic knots too, on the theory that there’s no such thing as too much garlic on a pasta night.
FAQs
Traditionally, no. Classic aglio e olio is just pasta, garlic, olive oil, salt, and chili, with no cheese at all. I add Parmesan for a little salty richness, but you can leave it out to stay true to the original, which also keeps the dish dairy-free and vegan.
If you add cheese, finely grated Parmesan is the usual choice, since it melts into the warm pasta and brings a salty, savory edge. Choose a vegetarian one if you keep a meat-free kitchen; standard Parmigiano-Reggiano uses animal rennet, so the label is worth a look. Pecorino works too when you want something sharper.
Yes. Spaghetti is the traditional shape for aglio e olio, so it’s a natural swap, and fettuccine works well too. Any long strand holds the garlic oil better than a short, chunky shape.
The oil hasn’t emulsified with the pasta. Toss the drained pasta with a splash of the reserved starchy pasta water off the heat, adding a little at a time, until the oil and starch bind into a glossy sauce. If it still pools, keep tossing and add a touch more pasta water.
Some stores sell a dried aglio olio seasoning blend, but the dish is built to be made fresh from garlic, good olive oil, and red pepper flakes in about the time it takes to boil the pasta. Fresh garlic gives you a depth the jar can’t match.
More Pasta Dinners I Come Back To
If aglio e olio has earned a spot in your quick-dinner rotation, here are four more pasta nights from my kitchen worth adding to the list.
- Pasta alla Norma. When I want the same simple Italian feel with something more substantial, the eggplant and tomato make it a proper plate.
- Penne alla Vodka. For a night I’m after creamy rather than garlicky, this is the one.
- Creamy Mushroom Pasta. The mushrooms, mustard, and a splash of white wine give it a deeper, savory backbone than aglio e olio, good for when I want more going on in the bowl.
- Pasta alla Sorrentina. A skillet of cherry tomatoes and melted mozzarella with no oven needed, for the nights that call for tomato instead of garlic.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound linguine uncooked
- ¾ cup olive oil
- 1 head garlic peeled and sliced
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
Video
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.1 pound linguine
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is lightly golden and fragrant—be careful not to burn it. Season with salt and pepper.¾ cup olive oil, 1 head garlic, 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, Salt and black pepper
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the drained pasta to the skillet along with the grated Parmesan and chopped parsley. Toss well to coat everything evenly in the garlic oil.½ cup fresh parsley, ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- If the pasta looks too dry, stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Serve hot, optionally with extra Parmesan and parsley on top.
Notes
Nutrition
I love how easy this fabulous pasta dish comes together. It’s comfort in a bowl.
It is, isn’t it! Always my ‘go-to’ easy dish when I need quick comfort food!
Growing up my brother and I called it white spaghetti. We didn’t always have sauce or even parm cheese. I never knew it was an actual Italian dish!
It’s simple but delicious isn’t it!
Made this tonight because i already had all the ingredients . Came out better than I expected – thanks!