Simple Spaghetti Aglio e Olio Recipe

This is the dinner for the nights you didn't plan dinner. No trip to the store, no thawing anything — just garlic, olive oil, and pasta, treated with enough care that it doesn't taste like a last resort.

What You'll Need

Serves 4. Prep: 5 minutes. Cook: 15 minutes.

• 1 lb spaghetti
• ½ cup good olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (not minced — sliced holds up better in the oil)
• ¾ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 cup reserved pasta water
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
• ½ cup grated parmesan, plus more for serving
• Salt, to taste
• Lemon wedges, for serving (optional, but good)

How to Make It

1. Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until just shy of al dente. Reserve a full cup of the pasta water before draining — you'll need more than you think.

2. Infuse the oil. While the pasta cooks, warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook gently, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes, until it turns pale gold. Watch it closely — golden is what you want; brown means it's gone bitter and there's no saving it.

3. Add the heat. Stir in the red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

4. Bring it together. Add the drained spaghetti directly to the skillet along with about ¾ cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss constantly over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, adding more pasta water as needed, until the sauce turns glossy and coats the noodles rather than sitting in a puddle underneath.

5. Finish and serve. Remove from heat, stir in the parsley and parmesan, and taste for salt. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges and extra parmesan on the side.

A Few Notes

The garlic is the whole dish, so don't rush it — sliced (not minced) garlic cooked low and slow is what gives this its flavor without turning sharp or bitter. If it browns, it's worth starting the oil over rather than pushing through.

This is a dish best eaten right away — it doesn't hold or reheat especially well, since the sauce is really just emulsified oil and pasta water. If you're making it for one, halve everything except the garlic; a little extra garlic never hurts here.