Are you looking for the ultimate 15-minute meal that tastes like a masterpiece from a rustic Italian kitchen? A dish so simple, so elegant, and so profoundly flavorful, it’s made from ingredients you probably already have in your pantry? This incredible Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is that perfect recipe. We’re talking tender spaghetti, bathed in a luscious, silky sauce of slow-toasted garlic, fragrant olive oil, and a kick of spicy chili, all emulsified into a creamy dream with the magic of starchy pasta water.
This isn’t just another pasta recipe; it’s a guide to one of the most foundational and beloved dishes in all of Italian cooking. While it’s famous for its minimalist ingredient list, it’s also notorious for being tricky. But fear not! We’ll show you the simple but crucial, foolproof technique to a perfectly smooth, velvety, and non-greasy sauce every single time. Get ready to create a truly unforgettable pasta night.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Minimalist Masterpiece
What makes Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (garlic and oil) so spectacularly delicious is its incredible, bold flavor, derived from just a few core ingredients. This recipe is a masterpiece of Roman simplicity, elevated with a few modern, creative twists. The heart and soul of the dish is a perfect emulsion of three simple things: high-quality olive oil, gently infused with the sweet, nutty flavor of slow-cooked garlic and a touch of heat from spicy chilis. This fragrant oil is then tossed with hot pasta and the starchy “liquid gold” from the cooking water, which magically transforms it into a surprisingly creamy, luscious sauce that clings beautifully to every strand. This version adds the buttery, briny bite of Castelvetrano olives and a splash of white wine for a truly sophisticated finish.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 20 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy (with the right technique!) |
| Servings | 4 |
The Italian Pantry Staples: The Essential Ingredients
The beauty of this recipe is in its simplicity, which means the quality of your few ingredients is absolutely paramount.
- The Aglio e Olio (Garlic & Oil):
- The Garlic: The secret to a sweet, nutty, and fragrant garlic flavor (and not a burnt, bitter one!) is to use fresh garlic, thinly sliced or roughly chopped, and to follow the crucial technique of starting it in cold or low-heat oil.
- The Oil: Since it is the primary flavor of the sauce, this is the time to break out your high-quality, extra-virgin olive oil. A good, flavorful oil will make all the difference.
- The Creative Twists:
- Castelvetrano Olives: These are not your average black olives! Castelvetrano olives are a vibrant green color and are prized for their wonderfully mild, buttery, and not-too-briny flavor. They add a fantastic, sophisticated bite to the simple pasta.
- Calabrian Chilis: For a truly authentic and complex Italian heat, you can use chopped, oil-packed Calabrian chilis. If you can’t find them, a simple 1/2 teaspoon of classic crushed red pepper flakes is a perfect substitute.
- The “Liquid Gold” (Starchy Pasta Water!): This is the most important “secret” ingredient for a perfect sauce! The cloudy, starchy, salty water left over from cooking your pasta is the magic, natural emulsifier that transforms the simple oil and water into a cohesive, silky, and surprisingly creamy sauce.
The Emulsification Masterclass: The Secret to a “Creamy” Sauce (with No Cream!)
This is the most crucial part of the recipe and the step where most people go wrong. The goal is to create an emulsion—a stable mixture of oil and water, which normally don’t mix. The starch from the pasta water is the magic binder that makes this possible.
- Infuse the Oil: Gently cook your garlic and chilis in the olive oil over a very low heat. This patiently extracts all their flavor into the oil.
- Add the Hot Pasta & Water: You will then add your hot, cooked pasta directly to the skillet with the infused oil, along with a generous splash of the hot, starchy pasta water.
- Toss Vigorously: The final, crucial step is to toss, stir, and swirl everything together vigorously over a low heat. This constant agitation is the magic that breaks up the fat and water into tiny droplets and allows the starch to bind them together, creating a beautiful, light, and creamy sauce that perfectly coats every noodle.
Step-by-Step to the Best Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
This elegant meal comes together in the time it takes to boil your pasta.
Step 1: Cook the Pasta (and Reserve That Liquid Gold!)
First, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add your 1 pound of spaghetti and cook according to the package directions until it is perfectly al dente.
Crucial Pro Tip: Just before you drain the pasta, be sure to reserve at least 2 full cups of the starchy, salty pasta water. This is the most important ingredient for your sauce!
Part 2: The Art of the Garlic & Chili Infusion
Step 1: While the pasta is cooking, add the 1/2 cup of olive oil, the 4 cloves of roughly chopped garlic, and your 2 chopped Calabrian chilis (or 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes) to a large, cold skillet.
Step 2 (The Most Important Step for Flavor!): Place the skillet over a low heat. Let the oil, garlic, and chilis cook gently, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, until the garlic becomes very fragrant, is sizzling gently, and has turned a very light golden color. Be careful not to let it brown or burn.
Part 3: Build the Sauce and Emulsify
Step 1: Add your 1/2 cup of pitted and chopped Castelvetrano olives, the 1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley, and the 1/4 cup of dry white wine to the skillet. Let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Step 2: Use a pair of tongs to transfer your hot, drained pasta directly into the skillet with the infused oil, along with 1 cup of your reserved, starchy pasta water. Step 3 (The Magic Step!): Increase the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring, tossing, and swirling the pasta constantly, until the pasta is cooked through and the oil and water have emulsified into a beautiful, creamy sauce that is clinging to the noodles. This will take a few minutes. Add more of your reserved pasta water, one splash at a time, if the sauce becomes too thick. Step 4: Finish with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper and a final sprinkle of salt to your taste.
Serve the hot Spaghetti Aglio e Olio immediately in warm, shallow bowls.
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (A 15-Minute Recipe!)
An incredibly fast and simple recipe for Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (garlic and oil), elevated with the addition of spicy Calabrian chiles and briny Castelvetrano olives. This classic, one-pan (mostly) vegan dish features a sauce made by gently infusing olive oil with garlic and chiles over low heat. The sauce is deglazed with white wine and then tossed with al dente spaghetti and a generous amount of starchy pasta water to create a perfectly emulsified, flavorful coating for the noodles.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry spaghetti
- 1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 Calabrian chiles, roughly chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes)
- 1/2 cup pitted and chopped Castelvetrano olives
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Salt the water generously, then add the spaghetti and cook until it is al dente—about 2 minutes less than the package cooking time suggests.
- Before draining the pasta, reserve about 2 cups of the starchy pasta water.
- While the pasta is cooking, add the olive oil, chopped garlic, and chiles to a large, cold skillet. Set the skillet over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes until the garlic is very fragrant but not browned.
- Add the chopped olives, parsley, and white wine to the skillet. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet along with 1 cup of the reserved pasta water.
- Continue to cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the pasta is fully cooked and has absorbed most of the water, creating a creamy sauce. Add more pasta water as needed to reach the desired consistency.
- Finish with freshly ground black pepper and a sprinkle of salt to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
- This is a very fast vegan meal that comes together in about 15 minutes, making it perfect for a busy weeknight.
- The key to the most delicious version of this recipe is to cook the garlic very gently over low heat to infuse the oil without letting it burn, which would make it bitter.
- Using the starchy, reserved pasta water is crucial for creating the creamy, emulsified sauce without any dairy.
- The recipe suggests swapping the olives with chopped canned artichokes or a tablespoon of rinsed capers for a similar briny flavor.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
A delicate, emulsified pasta dish like this one is at its absolute peak of perfection in the moments right after it is made and is not ideal for making ahead or for leftovers.
- Storage: If you do have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Reheating: The best way to reheat this dish is to do so gently in a skillet on the stovetop over a low heat. You will need to add a generous splash of water and a little extra olive oil to help loosen the sauce and bring back some of its original, creamy consistency.
For more recipe follow my pinterest account
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute, number one secret to a creamy, not greasy, Aglio e Olio?
The secret is emulsification, and the key to that is the starchy pasta water. By vigorously tossing the hot pasta with the infused oil and the hot, starchy pasta water, you are forcing the oil and water to combine into a beautiful, light, and creamy sauce that coats the noodles perfectly, rather than just leaving them sitting in a pool of oil.
Q2: How do I cook my garlic without it burning and becoming bitter?
The most important trick is to start your garlic in a cold pan with the oil and to heat it up gently over a low heat. This allows the garlic to slowly toast and infuse its sweet, nutty flavor into the oil without the risk of it burning, which would make your entire dish taste bitter.
Q3: Can I make this dish ahead of time?
This is one of the few pasta dishes that is at its absolute best when it is made and served immediately. Because the sauce is a delicate emulsion of oil, starch, and water, it does not hold or reheat particularly well and can become greasy.
Q4: What is the best kind of pasta to use for Aglio e Olio?
A long, sturdy pasta shape with a slightly rough, porous texture is the best choice for catching and holding onto the beautiful sauce. A classic spaghetti is a fantastic choice, as is a traditional, bronze-die bucatini or linguine.
Q5: What are Castelvetrano olives?
Castelvetrano olives are a type of olive that is grown in Sicily, Italy. They are famous for their vibrant, bright green color, their crisp and meaty texture, and their wonderfully mild, buttery, and not-too-salty flavor, which makes them a perfect and sophisticated addition to a simple pasta dish like this one.