Spaghetti Aglio e Olio - Pasta with Garlic, Olive Oil, and Fresh Herbs
You really can’t get much more simple than this delicious take on the traditional Spaghetti Aglio e olio. In this version, I add a bunch of fresh herbs and a little bit of cheeses to boost the flavor a bit.
Servings: 6
Calories: 414kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb spaghetti noodles
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 6 large garlic cloves chopped
- pinch of crushed red pepper or more to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh Italian flat leaf parsley chopped
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese
- pinch of salt or more to taste
- 2 tablespoons reserved pasta water
- more freshly shredded pecorino or parmesan cheese for top of pasta if desired
Instructions
- Start by boiling your water for your spaghetti. Follow the package instructions, cooking the pasta to al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking, begin to chop up the garlic and all of the herbs.
- When the pasta is nearly finished cooking, with approximately 2-3 minutes left, start to heat the oil on medium heat.
- Add the garlic to the oil and cook until it is fragrant or until just before it is toasted. Be careful not to over cook or burn the garlic which will make it bitter.
- Next, add the red pepper flakes to the oil and give it a quick stir.
Add the pasta noodles to the garlic oil. I just use a pasta ladle and add directly to my saute pan with the garlic oil. This helps carry over some of the pasta water too which is needed for the oil to help stick to the noodles. - If you want to drain your pasta instead, be sure to reserve about 2 tablespoons of pasta water and add it in with the garlic oil "sauce".
- Add the herbs, pinch of salt, and parmesan or pecorino cheese to the pasta and garlic oil, give it a good toss to mix together.
- Remove the pasta from the saute pan and add to a platter.
- Add additional cheese on top if desired.
- Serve & enjoy!
Notes
Serve pasta immediately after cooking.
Nutrition
Serving: 1c | Calories: 414kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 95mg | Potassium: 181mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 188IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 1mg