Pasta Aglio e Olio is easy to make, delicious to eat and the sexiest pasta recipe I know. In about 20 minutes you’ll be serving glistening pasta loaded with olive oil, toasty garlic, fresh parsley, zesty lemon juice and a kick of crushed red pepper.
Has a movie ever inspired you to buy a cooking utensil? The movie Chef made me buy a carving fork, but not for the traditional use. I watched Jon Favreau use one to twist Pasta Aglio e Olio into a gorgeous spiral, and I had to have it.
You’ve seen the movie, right? Granted, the language is a little rough. But the food! To say that this movie is seductive doesn’t really cover it. Really, how do you make a grilled cheese looks that sexy. And the Cubano, oh, the Cubano – that my friend, Nagi did a lovely job of recreating.
The first time I made Pasta Aglio e Olio, this may sound like sacrilege but, I thought: ‘This is better than mac and cheese!’ I was tempted to decrease the amount of olive oil – 1/3 cup for two people borders on obscene, doesn’t it? But it’s the perfect amount. The pasta is silky, not greasy. And the play of fresh parsley and lemon zing, with the subtle heat of crushed red pepper and copious amounts of garlic and olive oil, well…you’re just going to have to try it.
Serve this with a simple vegetable like Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower or Zucchini Salad.
How to Make Pasta Aglio e Olio
Step 1: Boil pasta according to package ingredients until al dente. Drain.
Step 2: Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When hot, add garlic and stir just until toasted. Add crushed red pepper and pasta; remove from heat and toss to coat.
Step 3: Add fresh parsley and lemon juice and toss again. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve!
Pasta Aglio e Olio Recipe Video
Pasta Aglio e Olio {Pasta with Garlic and Oil}
Ingredients
- 8 ounces spaghetti or linguine
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or more! how hot do you like it?)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
- juice of one lemon
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions, until al dente. (see recipe note) Drain, reserving 1/2 cup or more of the cooking liquid.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir until garlic is tender and very lightly brown (take care not to burn it!). Stir in crushed red pepper. Add pasta and remove from heat; gently toss to coat, adding pasta water if you like to reach your desired consistency.
- Add parsley and lemon juice and toss again. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Serve topped with grated Parmesan cheese.
I’ve been making this recipe for years, and it’s my youngest daughter’s favorite meal of all time. She likes when I sauté peppers in a separate pan, and then mix them with the pasta and the sauce. The sweetness from the peppers goes good with the heat from the crushed red pepper. Dynamite dish!
I love to hear that, Matt! Thank you! (I’ll have to try it with peppers next time! 🙂 )
Hi Marissa, the only thing I see missing is to add olive oil to the water, and then save a cup of the pasta water, add back to the sauce pan reducing till gone. This is truly authentic Italian Traditional fFriday night dinner.
Blessings,
Stephen
Hi, Stephen! Pasta water is magic for extending sauce, I’ve added a note about it to the recipe. When I make this dish I try to time it so that I can scoop the al dente pasta out of the boiling water and add it directly to the sauce, so it brings a fair amount of liquid with it. I’ll add this to the recipe notes too. Thank you for your comment!
Thanks for the recipe – I’d not tried Pasta Aglio e Olio with lemon in before so it was an interest new take. I’m divided whether I prefer with or without the lemon – it’s almost like having two different dishes to choose from!
Thanks, Alana.
This is absolutely the dish that has my heart – even before I learned to really cook, spaghetti aglio e olio was the way I nourished myself as a young adult. Love this!
aww, I love it when certain dishes are connected to memories like that! Thanks so much, Karen!
The thing I remember most from Chef was how he made grilled cheese. I about died it looked so good. And so does this! I looooove agilo e olio! It’s one of my favorites–and I agree. It’s better than mac and cheese 🙂
oohhh, yes – the grilled cheese of my dreams! I think I’ll have to try to do that next. 😉 Thanks so much, Kelsie!
I am obsessed with all things garlic, especially this classic pasta dish! So easy to prepare, yet bold on flavor! Your version has me absolutely drooling!!!!! Want immediately!! Pinning!
Never too much garlic, right? Thank you, Cheyanne!
Oh, we were definitely both channeling Italian comfort food at the same time, Marissa! Laura and I just got back from Italy (well, about a month ago now), and I totally ate my weight in pasta and cheese. This Aglio e Olio looks delicious, and it definitely needs to be on my short list for dinners. A good olive oil makes all the difference, right? Hope you have a great weekend ahead, my friend!
Thanks so much, David. I was cracking up when I saw that you posted Cacio e Pepe – we were definitely on the same wavelength! You have a great weekend too!
Carbonara has been my go-to pasta for years, but because of that scene in “Chef” carbonara now has a serious rival in aglia olio. And this is my fave online recipe for it, because of the lemon!
Sometimes the simple dishes are the best. Most of the time, actually. Pinned 🙂
I love this classic pasta dash, and the addition of lemon was a great idea!
Marissa…Love this post!!! And I have NOT yet seen the movie..I know I know…I HAVE TO…Did you see there is a new chef movie with Bradley Cooper coming out? I’ll take anything he is serving 🙂
But this pasta….it looks JUST HEAVENLY!!! Another Marissa classic!!!!
Awww, thank you so much, Mila! And yes, you must watch it. You’ll love it, I promise! xo
What a fun movie indeed! Nothing better than a dish with a few quality ingredients that all get to sing. Beautiful! Safe and happy travels in Paris.
Well said, Kevin! And thank you!!
I loved that movie! I actually watched it on the plane ride back from my last trip to Paris and I found myself so incredibly hungry on the plane. I was just grateful I was heading back to Southern California because I knew I’d be able to get my hands on some Latin flavors. :p This pasta though looks so incredible! I’ve always wanted to make a fantastic pasta with garlic and oil, and now that you’ve shared this recipe, I will definitely be making it! If it’s even 1/4 as good as your puttanesca, then I know I’ll be in heaven! <3 <3
I’d love it if they’d play it on the plane today! 🙂 Thanks so much, Beeta. Promise me that you’ll try this – I know you’ll love it. xo
Just looked up what a carving fork and it looks so awesome!
🙂 Very handy…
I need to see this movie! This pasta dish looks so simple and delicious! Pinned!
You’ll love the movie, Mira – it’s so much fun. And thank you!!
Sometimes the simplest dishes are the best ones! I bet the flavors here play off each other perfectly.
Well said, sweet friend. xo
Hehe that’s why I bought a carving fork too! And that’s what it is mostly used for (although I do use it for carving meat too) 🙂
I love it! Lorraine, we’re simpatico! 🙂
I loved the movie, including the predictability of the story line. Sometimes it’s wonderful to spend an hour and a half feeling good. It’s funny, Studio Canal paid me a LOT of money to review that movie but I can’t view that clip because I’m in the wrong country. 🙂
That dish is SO pretty and now I want it AND the knife.
Thank you so much, Maureen. Glad you were paid a handsome sum for your review, but I had no idea that there were geographic boundaries on YouTube videos – bummer.
Love the dish and love the movie clip accompanying your article.
Thanks, Kimberly! xo
This dish looks and sounds beyond delicious, Marissa! So simple but such intense flavors! I did enjoy Chef very much even though I thought the storyline was a little linear. The food (and also the music) were spectacular! 🙂
Agreed! Thank you, Nicole.
I just loved Chef, Marissa, which I was really pleased about because reviews seemed to be mixed. I absolutely love simple pastas like this (just need to convince the hubs, though!) Your photos are stunning, too!
Awww, thank you Helen. xo
Hi Marissa! Sometimes the simple things in life are the best and I think this is one of them! The ingredients are all pantry staples and all I might add is a simple salad on the side!
Exactly – just a simple salad and dinner is served. 🙂 Thank you, Dorothy!
So simple, but so delicious! Love this pasta dish 🙂 Pinning!
Thank you, Medha!