Garlic olive oil pasta (Printer-Friendly)

Delicious pasta tossed in garlic-infused olive oil, finished with parsley and Parmesan.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 7 oz spaghetti or linguine

→ Sauce

02 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
03 - 5 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
04 - 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
05 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
06 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

07 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1 oz Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
09 - Lemon zest, to taste (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add sliced garlic and sauté gently for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden without burning.
03 - Stir in red pepper flakes, if using, for 15 seconds.
04 - Add drained pasta to the skillet. Toss thoroughly to coat with garlic oil, adding reserved pasta water gradually until the sauce lightly clings to the noodles.
05 - Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat and toss in chopped parsley.
06 - Divide between plates and top with grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of lemon zest, if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 20 minutes, making it perfect for those nights when hunger hits but ambition hasn't.
  • The method is so forgiving that even if you mess up slightly, the result still tastes like you meant to do it that way.
  • Once you taste how the garlic infuses the oil, you'll stop thinking of this as just pasta and start thinking of it as liquid gold on a plate.
02 -
  • Low heat is your secret weapon—rushing the garlic or cranking up the temperature will turn it bitter and burnt, and no amount of anything else can fix that.
  • The pasta water is not optional; those starches are what turn oil into an actual creamy sauce, so reserve it before you drain.
  • If your dish tastes oily and flat, it's usually because the salt and pepper weren't generous enough, not because you used too much oil.
03 -
  • Slice your garlic yourself rather than using pre-minced; the texture is better, and you'll taste the difference in every bite.
  • If you accidentally let your garlic brown too much, start over with fresh oil and garlic—it's faster than trying to salvage a bitter sauce.

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