Pasta Aglio e Olio — The 20-Minute Italian Pantry Classic
Six ingredients, 20 minutes, and you'll never reach for jarred sauce again. The secret is in the garlic technique and a splash of starchy pasta water.
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
20 min
Servings
2
🛒 Ingredients
Serves 2
- 200 gspaghetti or linguine
- 6cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
- 80 mlextra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tspchili flakes
- Large handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- Parmesan or Pecorino, to serve (optional)
- Salt, for pasta water
- 120ml reserved pasta water
🌿 Vegan option
👨🍳 Instructions
1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt it heavily — it should taste like the sea. Cook the pasta until 2 minutes before al dente (it will finish in the sauce). Reserve 120ml of pasta water before draining.
2
While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a wide pan over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook slowly, swirling occasionally, for 4–5 minutes until golden but not brown. Watch it carefully — the line between golden and bitter is thin. At the first sign of brown edges, reduce heat.
3
Add the chili flakes and let them bloom in the oil for 30 seconds. Remove the pan from heat if the garlic looks like it's about to go too far.
4
Add the drained pasta to the garlic oil. Return to medium heat. Add a splash of pasta water (start with 60ml) and toss vigorously — the starchy water will emulsify with the oil to create a silky, cohesive sauce rather than an oily coating. Add more water as needed.
5
Remove from heat, add the chopped parsley, toss again. Plate and serve immediately with grated Parmesan or Pecorino if using.
💡 Chef's Tips
The pasta water is the sauce: Don't skip reserving it. The dissolved starch is what binds the garlic oil into a sauce that coats the pasta rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
Garlic technique: Thin, even slices cook uniformly. Minced garlic burns before the slices would. Take your time with the slicing.
Quality matters: This dish has nowhere to hide. Use the best olive oil you have, the best pasta you can find, and real Parmigiano-Reggiano.