Spaghetti Aglio Olio is a popular Italian pasta recipe that literally means spaghetti with garlic and olive oil. It is a super easy pasta recipe that requires only 5 ingredients. And in an instant pot, it takes only 10 minutes. Isn’t that dinner recipe of your dreams?
Spaghetti Aglio E Olio…
Somebody rightly said this great pasta recipe from Naples is simple enough to whip up at the end of a big night out. One of my favorite comfort meals Spaghetti Alio e Olio is the perfect example of how minimal yet quality ingredients can make a difference to the flavor.
The right combination of garlic and olive oil does all the magic and converts the humble pasta into a flavorful dish.
You need 5 basic pantry staples – pasta, garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and parsley to make an utterly gratifying bowl of 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, to this, a few cups of starchy pasta water is added. This simple mixture transforms into the sort after Aglio e Olio sauce.
Just add chopped parsley for the fresh flavor and color.
There is no hidden formula to make a delicious pasta aglio olio. We have thousands of authentic recipes on internet or cookbooks.
My trick for making the best spaghetti aglio olio is to perfectly emulsify the garlic, oil, and the pasta starch.
Ingredients Required
Here are the 5 ingredients that create the most satisfying bowl of aglio olio:
Pasta: Spaghetti, linguini, cappellini or any other pasta with thin strands is perfect for aglio olio sauce.
Parsley: Greens like parsley, basil or cilantro bring color and freshness to the dish.
Garlic: If you LOVE garlic then this is the pasta recipe of your dreams. 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 so many options when it comes to adding few extra items in spaghetti aglio olio! Here are a of my favorites:
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- Black Pitted Olives
- Grilled Vegetables
- Baby Spinach
- Kale
- Italian Basil
- Roasted Mushrooms
- Shrimps
- Mussels
- Fried Bacon
- Grilled Chicken
- Grated Parmesan
My Recipe Notes:
You need to really FINE CHOP the garlic. The fine bits of garlic emulsified in oil create 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 or for kids you can totally 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 in the inner pot. Set the 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.
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 100% vegan pasta recipe. Or you can sprinkle vegan cheese on your pasta.
Serving Suggestions:
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio tastes divine with a green salad or a homemade Italian focaccia bread for mopping all that finger-licking garlic and olive oil sauce.
FAQ’s Related To Spaghetti Aglio Olio:
What are the variations of Aglio e Olio pasta?
There are tons of variations for pasta aglio olio recipe. From vegetables, seafood, meat, bacon, olives to cheese, and greens, you can add anything to this classic pasta dish to make it your own.
What type/shape of pasta is best for Aglio e olio sauce?
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.
How to store spaghetti aglio olio?
Transfer to a glass or ceramic container with the lid along with the sauce. Refrigerate for 3 – 5 days. It taste best after 24 hours or when served cold.
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Instant Pot Spaghetti Aglio Olio
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 200 gram uncooked spaghetti
- 1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon fine chopped or sliced garlic
- 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes (or to taste)
- 1/4 Cup roughly chopped parsley
- Salt to taste
Additional Ingredients:
- grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 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.Â
- Adjust the quantity of red chili flakes as per personal preference.Â
- 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.Â
- 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.
5 comments
Wow! Yummy presentation.
looks yumm
Goodness you sure do know how to make my mouth water.. will try this recipe soon 🙂
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.
Simply gorgeous post Hina 🙂