Description
A fast, cheap, and delicious weeknight dinner made with just garlic, olive oil, pasta, and parsley. This simple recipe takes only 10 minutes to prepare and costs less than a dollar per serving.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound spaghetti or linguine
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 8–10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt (for pasta water)
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter (optional)
Instructions
- Slice the garlic thinly and chop the parsley. Grate the Parmesan cheese if using.
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente (8-10 minutes).
- Before draining, reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add sliced garlic and red pepper flakes.
- Cook garlic gently until golden and fragrant (2-3 minutes), ensuring it does not burn.
- Add a splash of reserved pasta water to the oil and stir vigorously to create an emulsion.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss with tongs to coat. Add more pasta water if needed to reach desired consistency.
- Remove from heat. Stir in chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese. Add butter if using.
- Season with black pepper and serve immediately.
Notes
Use fresh garlic only; jarred garlic has a metallic aftertaste. Keep heat low when cooking garlic to prevent burning. Save pasta water for emulsifying the sauce. For a richer sauce, add a knob of cold butter at the end. This dish does not freeze well due to the dairy.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 220
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 60
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 12
Keywords: pasta aglio e olio, garlic pasta, weeknight dinner, cheap dinner, 10 minute meals, Italian pasta, easy dinner, vegetarian pasta