Spaghetti with Olive Oil and Garlic
Simple spaghetti tossed with garlic-infused olive oil, red pepper flakes, fresh herbs, and grated Parmesan.
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Skillet
- Colander
- spoon or tongs
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 lb.spaghetti
- 1/3 cupolive oil
- 6 garlic cloves peeled and sliced very thinly
- 1/2 tsp.red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cupfresh parsley chopped
- 1/4 cupfresh basil choppedoptional
- 1 cupParmesan cheese grated
Instructions
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the 1 lb spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente according to package directions. Before draining, scoop out and reserve 3/4 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water; then drain the spaghetti.
- While the pasta cooks, place 1/3 cup olive oil and the 6 peeled, very thinly sliced garlic cloves in a cold skillet.
- Set the skillet over low–medium heat and gently warm the oil and garlic together. Maintain a gentle simmer so the garlic softens without burning—cook about 6–7 minutes, until the garlic is softened and just beginning to turn light golden.
- When the garlic has softened and just started to brown, add the 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes and cook 30 seconds to bloom their flavor.
- Pour 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water into the skillet to stop the garlic from cooking further and to loosen the oil into a sauce.
- Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet. Toss or stir thoroughly to coat the pasta with the garlic–olive oil sauce, adding enough of the remaining reserved pasta water (up to the remaining 1/4 cup) if the pasta seems dry and needs more sauce.
- Stir in the 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley, the 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (if using), and the 1 cup grated Parmesan until evenly distributed and the sauce clings to the pasta.
- Transfer to plates or a serving bowl and garnish as desired with Parmesan, red pepper flakes, parsley, and/or basil. Serve immediately.
Notes
Make sure all your ingredients are ready before you start.Because you'll be making the garlic oil while the pasta is cooking, it's important to have all your ingredients out and ready. Lay out what you need, slice the garlic cloves, and have everything set before you start boiling the spaghetti.
Do not let the garlic burn.Burnt garlic doesn't smell or taste good, so keep an eye as the cloves are cooking. They should be turning a light golden brown, but if that happens before the pasta is ready, add in the pasta water and then take the pan off the heat until the pasta is done.
Don’t forget the salt in the pasta water!The only way to really season pasta is through the water it absorbs, so make sure you don't forget to add salt to the water. It should be a generous amount, making your pasta water taste like the ocean. This will give the spaghetti great flavor.
Do not let the garlic burn.Burnt garlic doesn't smell or taste good, so keep an eye as the cloves are cooking. They should be turning a light golden brown, but if that happens before the pasta is ready, add in the pasta water and then take the pan off the heat until the pasta is done.
Don’t forget the salt in the pasta water!The only way to really season pasta is through the water it absorbs, so make sure you don't forget to add salt to the water. It should be a generous amount, making your pasta water taste like the ocean. This will give the spaghetti great flavor.