Description
A quick and flavorful dish featuring spaghetti cooked with garlic, olive oil, and chili flakes, perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
- 340 g linguine or spaghetti
- Salt (to taste)
- 1 tsp chili flakes or 2–3 whole fresh peperoncini, stems removed and sliced
- 160 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 15 g parsley, chopped
- 1 whole parsley leaf (for flavor infusion)
Instructions
- Begin by filling a large pot with salted water and bringing it to a boil.
- Heat a large deep pan over medium-high heat while the water comes to a boil. Add the olive oil, sliced garlic, and chili flakes (or peperoncini) to the pan, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until the garlic turns golden and fragrant.
- Toss in a whole parsley leaf to infuse the oil’s flavor. After a minute, take out the leaf.
- Cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente, following package instructions. Be sure to reserve 240 ml (1 cup) of the pasta water before draining.
- Let the oil mixture cool for a minute, then stir in 120 ml (1/2 cup) of the reserved pasta water. Increase heat and reduce the liquid by half.
- Drain the pasta and add it directly to the pan, stirring well to coat with the sauce. Mix in the chopped parsley and adjust moisture if needed with more reserved pasta water.
- Finally, taste and season with salt to your preference, serving immediately and drizzling extra sauce over each plate.
Notes
Always reserve some pasta water before draining; it helps bind the sauce. Avoid overcooking the garlic to prevent bitterness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: spaghetti, garlic, quick dinner, easy recipe, family-friendly meal