Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (Garlic & Olive Oil)

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (which means garlic and oil) is a simple and tasty classic Italian pasta recipe. Using plenty of fresh garlic, it’s a great dish for aficionados of the fragrant bulb!

Complete the meal: As you can see, the dish relies mainly on pasta, garlic and extra-virgin olive oil (use the best olive oil possible), so you’ll need a few vegetable-rich, colorful  companions.

A bountiful salad (with chickpeas or beans for added protein) and a simply prepared green vegetable (asparagus, broccoli, or green beans) are most welcome.

Zucchini variation: If you want to add in a vegetable, zucchini is a perfect fit. See the notes section of the recipe.

EASIEST VEGAN PARMESAN-STYLE TOPPING

Homemade vegan Parmesan is usually a combination of nutritional yeast plus ground cashews or almonds. This version is even easier because you don’t need a machine to make it.

Just two ingredients — almond flour (found in most natural foods stores) and nutritional yeast, plus a pinch of salt, and you’ve got a great topping for pasta dishes like this one.

A tablespoon or two of this topping provides you with a nice dose of Vitamin B12 (from the nutritional yeast), and almond flour is a great source of Vitamin E and calcium.

What to do: Combine a more or less equal amount of nutritional yeast and almond flour in a small container. 1/2 cup of each is a good amount; 1/4 teaspoon of salt is just right to my palate, though of course, add more or less to suit your taste. Mix it up well.

Storage: Cover and refrigerate any unused portion, where it will  keep well almost indefinitely (but there’s no way you’ll make it last that long!).

Explore more …

• Vegan Italian Recipes
• Garlicky Spaghetti and Zucchini Noodles
• Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
• Vegan Baked Spaghetti Pie

Continue to Content

Yield: 6

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (Garlic & Olive Oil)

Print

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (which means garlic and oil) is a simple, tasty, and fragrant Italian pasta classic.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 16 ounces spaghetti (or use linguini)
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more as desired
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, or more, to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Dried hot red pepper flakes
• Vegan Parmesan (store-bought, or see an easy homemade version above the recipe box)

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Transfer the pasta to a large serving container. 
2. Meanwhile, heat half the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and sauté over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden, stirring frequently. 
3. Add the sautéed garlic along with the parsley, remaining olive oil (add a bit more if you’d like), and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Toss well. If the pasta seems a bit dry, drizzle in a little more olive oil and/or pasta cooking water.
4. Serve at once. Pass around hot red pepper flakes and vegan Parmesan for topping individual servings.

Notes

Variation: Embellish the dish with 2 medium or 3 smaller zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced, to the dish. Add to the skillet after step 2 along with a little water and sauté over low heat until just tender, stirring frequently.

If you like this simple Italian pasta dish, you may also enjoy …

Photos: Bhofack22/Bigstock