Spaghetti Aglio Olio is an easy pasta recipe that requires minimal ingredients. Spaghetti with garlic and olive oil takes less than 20 minutes in an instant pot. Isn’t that dinner recipe of your dreams?
Spaghetti Aglio E Olio
What does aglio olio mean? Aglio e Olio sauce is as simple as you read this. Chopped garlic is slightly fried in pure extra virgin olive oil; a few cups of starchy pasta water is added to thicken the sauce. Sprinkle fresh parsley and parmesan cheese before serving.
Spaghetti Aglio Olio is a popular Italian pasta recipe that translates to spaghetti with garlic and olive oil.
Somebody rightly said this great pasta recipe from Naples is simple enough to whip up at the end of a big night out.
It is one of my favourite comfort food. Spaghetti Alio e Olio is the perfect example of how minimal yet quality ingredients can make a difference to the flavour.
The right combination of garlic and olive oil does all the magic and converts the humble pasta into a flavorful dish.
My trick for making the best spaghetti aglio olio is perfectly emulsifying the garlic, oil, and pasta starch.
Ingredients Required
Pasta: Spaghetti, linguini, Cappellini or any other pasta with thin strands is perfect for aglio olio sauce.
Parsley: Greens like parsley, basil or cilantro add freshness to the dish.
Garlic: If you LOVE garlic, this is your dream pasta recipe. Use fresh garlic pods for an authentic taste.
Olive Oil: The quality of olive oil can make or break an aglio olio sauce. Try to use the best available extra virgin olive oil for this pasta dish.
Red Chilli Flakes: The little kick of heat from the crushed red pepper flakes take aglio olio pasta to another level.
Additional Ingredients:
There are many options for adding a few extra items to spaghetti aglio olio! Here is a list of my favourites:
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- Black Pitted Olives
- Grilled Vegetables
- Baby Spinach
- Kale
- Italian Basil
- Roasted Mushrooms
- Shrimps
- Mussels
- Fried Bacon
- Grilled Chicken
- Grated Parmesan
My Tried & True Tips
You need to FINE CHOP the garlic. The fine bits of garlic emulsified in oil creates a finger-licking sauce.
Adjust the quantity of red chilli flakes as per your liking. If you want to make pasta spicy, add a tablespoon; for kids, you can skip adding pepper flakes.
Add garlic and pepper flakes together in the olive oil. Let them sizzle and emulsify in the olive oil at the same time.
Once you add uncooked spaghetti to the inner pot. Set the SAUTE Mode for 1 – 2 minutes. This way, the pasta will soften and submerge in water before closing the IP lid. Otherwise, it would be best to break it in half to fit inside the inner pot.
Add sun-dried tomato and parsley once the pasta is cooked. Toss them gently with the pasta before serving.
If you skip the cheese, spaghetti aglio olio is a vegan pasta recipe. Or you can sprinkle vegan cheese on your pasta.
Serving Suggestion
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio tastes divine with a green salad or homemade Italian focaccia bread for mopping all the finger-licking garlic and olive oil sauce.
You can serve with vegetarian side dishes like stir-fried broccoli, herb-roasted potatoes, or air fryer green beans for a complete meal.
FAQs Related To Spaghetti Aglio Olio
There are tons of variations for the pasta aglio olio recipe. From vegetables, seafood, meat, bacon, and olives to cheese and greens, you can add anything to this classic pasta dish to make it your own.
Spaghetti is the best pasta for garlic and olive sauce. You can use Angel Hair Pasta, Cappellini, Taglierini, or any other delicate texture strand pasta for the aglio olio sauce.
Transfer to a glass or ceramic container with the lid and sauce. Refrigerate for 3 – 5 days. It tastes best after 24 hours or when served cold.
More Pasta Recipes
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter or follow us on Youtube for video recipes.
If you try this recipe and love it, please leave a comment and a rating. This helps us grow and reach other food lovers like you.
Instant Pot Spaghetti Aglio Olio Recipe
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 200 gram uncooked spaghetti
- ¼ Cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon fine chopped or sliced garlic
- 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes (or to taste)
- ¼ Cup roughly chopped parsley
- Salt to taste
Additional Ingredients:
- grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ Cup roughly chopped sun-dried tomato
Instructions
- Set IP to Saute mode for 5 minutes. Add olive oil, chili flakes, and garlic. Saute till the aroma of garlic is released. This takes a minute. Stir in between. No need to brown the garlic.
- Add 3 cups of water. If you want the pasta to be saucy then add 4 cups of water. Season with salt according to your taste.
- Add uncooked spaghetti. Now, let it simmer in the sauce till the end of Saute time. So that the pasta strands soften a bit before closing the IP lid and you don't have to break them into half.
- Close the lid of the IP. Set the Pressure Cook mode for 5 minutes. Move the steam valve to the Sealing position.
- After 5 minutes, manually release the steam. Open the lid, add parsley, sun-dried tomato, and toss pasta gently. The pasta liquid and oil will emulsify, thickening and coating the spaghetti.
- Sprinkle grated parmesan and some more parsley before serving (optional). Enjoy Spaghetti Aglio Olio with focaccia bread.
Recipe Notes:
- You need to really FINE CHOP the garlic.
- Adjust the quantity of red chili flakes as per personal preference.
- Add garlic and pepper flakes together in the olive oil. Let them sizzle and emulsify in the olive oil at the same time.
- Once you add uncooked spaghetti in the inner pot. Let it simmer in saute mode for 1 – 2 minutes. This way pasta will soften a bit and get submerged in water before closing the IP lid. Else, you have to break into half to fit inside the inner pot.
- In case, accidentally you add too much water to cook the pasta, set the saute mode for 10 minutes to reduce the water.
- Add sun-dried tomato and parsley once the pasta is cooked. Toss them gently with the pasta before serving.
- If you skip the cheese, this is a 100% vegan pasta recipe.
Indrani says
Wow! Yummy presentation.
Raksha says
looks yumm
Seeta says
Goodness you sure do know how to make my mouth water.. will try this recipe soon 🙂
Anonymous says
I’ve made a similar recipe since I was a teenager (Italian Grandmother), but I never rinse the pasta. Also, I add some of the starchy pasta water to the oil and garlic.
Tara nair says
Simply gorgeous post Hina 🙂