Pasta Aglio e Olio Recipe

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Pasta Aglio e Olio, this Italian classic recipe is the quintessential weeknight pasta dinner. Ready in less than 20 minutes and bursting with flavor from only a handful of ingredients, simple things are always the most impressive.

What is Pasta Aglio e Olio?

Pronounced “ah-lee-oh eh oh-lee-oh” it literally translates to garlic and olive oil pasta. It has a nice kick from peperoncini  (fresh hot red chili pepper), but dried red pepper flakes are more commonly used in the US.  It’s brightened up with zesty lemon and parsley and served with bruschetta or focaccia bread to mop up any leftover garlic sauce that made it’s way to the bottom of the bowl.
This authentic Aglio e olio pasta recipe from Naples most definitely belongs in any carb + garlic lover’s homemade cookbook to enjoy and share for the rest of times.
Garlic head for pasta.

Ingredient Notes:

  • Pasta – I used Capellini or little hairs, they are thin rod-shaped Italian noodles and I’ll argue the best choice for making Aglio e Olio pasta and Capellini Pomodoro. That being said a thin spaghetti, linguine and even fettuccine could work in a pinch.
  • Olive oil – bring out the good bottle, something that tastes smooth and fruity and delicious, it doesn’t have to be extra virgin but use a nice one since it is such a major part of this recipe.
  • Garlic – I suppose that you must love garlic if you are looking to make a garlic sauce. Yes friends, the recipe is correct, use all 9 large cloves and i’ll argue that more is even better (a dozen if i’m home alone), but I tried to create this recipe with the general population in mind. If you are sensitive to garlic then this recipe is most definitely not for you.
  • Peperoncini – If you don’t have a fresh red hot chili pepper just use a good pinch of dried chili flakes to taste. It’s no big deal, either works just fine!
  • Lemon – you need to use some freshly squeezed lemon juice to brighten up the sauce and tame the pungency of the garlic. I also love adding some zest but it’s totally optional.
  • Parsley – a touch of green, a clean fresh aftertaste, parsley is a classic way to garnish this dish.
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Recipe Tips

  • Garlic Sauce. The goal is to create the most luscious emulsion of garlic infused oil, starchy pasta water and freshly squeezed lemon juice. This should not be boiled pasta drenched in olive oil and garlic, trust me, it’s a huge difference.
  • The Pasta. If you perfectly cooked your noodles to an al dente texture you can most definitely transfer the capellini noodles straight into the sauce. However, if you are a beginner cook and have not done this perfectly before using thin capellini or spaghetti, then i kindly suggest you drain the pasta first then transfer it to a bowl of ice cold water to stop the cooking process before coating it in the sauce.
  • Do not burn the garlic! This is crucial, we aren’t looking for any color on the garlic just fragrance so keep a close eye on it and work fast.
  • Salt the pasta water! I know you’ve heart it too many times before but it really is what deeply seasons your pasta and the difference between good pasta and great pasta.
  • Recipe variations: load up on your favorite veggies, from sautéed mushrooms to roasted broccoli, asparagus, or marinated artichoke hearts. A nice sprinkling of crispy salty bread crumbs is a nice touch. Cheese is never used which makes this one of the ultimate vegan Italian recipes.
  • Storage. This pasta is best served fresh, straight out of the skillet. Any leftovers can be refrigerated in lidded glass containers for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stove top or in the microwave adding a little splash of water if needed to loosen up the sauce.
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Lemon and Mushrooms

How to Make Pasta Aglio e Olio with Peperoncino

  1. Cook the pasta. Boil the capellini noodles until al dente in a large pot of salted water that tastes like the sea. Reserve some of the pasta water.
  2. Sautee the garlic. In a large pan heat up the olive oil and sautee the garlic and chili on medium low heat until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes or so.
  3. Sauce. Whisk in the reserved pasta water and lemon juice into the garlic oil until a silky emulsion is achieved.
  4. Add the noodles. Toss the capellini with the sauce until coated all over. Sprinkle with the parsley, extra chili flakes and enjoy!

Italian Recipes

Aglio e Olio Pasta

Pasta Aglio e Olio
5 from 2 votes

Pasta Aglio e Olio

Pasta Aglio e Olio, this Italian classic recipe is the quintessential weeknight pasta dinner. Ready in less than 20 minutes with only a handful of ingredients, but simple things are always the most impressive.
Print Recipe
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:5 minutes
Total Time:15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3/4 lb capellini pasta (you can use whole wheat or durum semolina noodles)
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil + more for serving
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 9 large cloves garlic minced or grated
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or 1 fresh red chili
  • zest from 1 lemon (optional)
  • 1.25 cups reserved pasta water (the water you cooked the pasta in)
  • 1/3 cup Italian parsley roughly chopped
  • 1 lemon cut into wedges for serving
  • salt + pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and generously season with sea salt. The water should taste like sea water.
  • Add the noodles and set the timer according to package directions for an "al dente" texture. Do not cook one minute longer. Reserve 2 cups of the starchy pasta water then drain the noodles in a colander.
  • Transfer the drained pasta to a bowl with ice water to stop the cooking process. Ideally you’ll add some ice cubes to this water. (note: If you are a pro at cooking capellini noodles and can perfectly time them to be ready at the same time with the sauce then you can skip the draining and transfer them directly into the sauce).

Make the Aglio e Olio Sauce

  • Preheat a large skillet over medium heat with 1/3 cup of olive oil. Stir in the garlic and the red pepper flakes. Give it a stir for a few seconds just until it starts to sizzle and its fragrance perfumes your kitchen. Take good care not to burn it, this is very important.
  • Add 1 cup of the reserved pasta water and whisk it into the oil and garlic until combined. Whisk in the lemon juice and zest until emulsified and remove from heat.
  • Drain the cool capellini noodles and add them to the pan with the garlic sauce together with the chopped parsley. Using a pair of kitchen tongs to carefully toss the noodles in the sauce to coat all over. Add some of the reserved pasta water if needed to stretch it out.
  • Taste and adjust seasonings to your taste with salt, pepper and more lemon. If your pasta water was properly salted you won’t even need to add any salt at all.
  • Serve promptly with fresh parsley on top, a lemon wedge, extra chili flakes and a light drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

  • Garlic Sauce. The goal is to create the most luscious emulsion of garlic infused oil, starchy pasta water and freshly squeezed lemon juice. This should not be boiled pasta drenched in olive oil and garlic, trust me, it’s a huge difference. 
  • The Pasta. If you perfectly cooked your noodles to an al dente texture you can most definitely transfer the capellini noodles straight into the sauce. However, if you are a beginner cook and have not done this perfectly before using thin capellini or spaghetti, then i kindly suggest you drain the pasta first then transfer it to a bowl of ice cold water to stop the cooking process before coating it in the sauce.
  • Do not burn the garlic! This is crucial, we aren’t looking for any color on the garlic just fragrance so keep a close eye on it and work fast.
  • Salt the pasta water! I know you’ve heart it too many times before but it really is what deeply seasons your pasta and the difference between good pasta and great pasta.
  • Recipe variations: load up on your favorite veggies, from sautéed mushrooms to roasted broccoli, asparagus, or marinated artichoke hearts. A nice sprinkling of crispy salty bread crumbs makes a nice topping, cheese is never traditionally used which makes this one of the ultimate vegan Italian recipes.
  • Storage. This pasta is best served fresh straight out of the skillet. Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge in lidded glass containers for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stove top or in the microwave adding a little splash of water if needed to loosen up the sauce. 

Nutrition

Calories: 492kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 270mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 497IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: aglio e olio, Italian Recipes, pasta
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 492kcal
Author: Florentina

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2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Without a doubt the best aglio olio pasta recipe I have ever made. This simple dinner brought Italy into my home and our family together at the dinner table. Thank you so much for sharing Florentina, I absolutely love this blog!

  2. 5 stars
    So happy to report this turned out better than my favorite Italian restaurant. Thank you for suggesting I rinse the pasta, I always avoided committing the mortal sin and my capellini noodles always became a sticky mess. This recipe however turned out perfect and I was able to enjoy long silky noodles completely coated in a sauce that isn’t oily but silky with a divine garlic flavor. This is indeed a recipe for garlic lovers ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️