Garlic Pasta Olive Oil (Printable)

Tender noodles coated in a fragrant garlic and olive oil sauce with fresh parsley and Parmesan.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz spaghetti or linguine

→ Sauce

02 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
03 - 6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
04 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
05 - Salt, to taste
06 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Finishing

07 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
09 - Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water and drain the pasta.
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 just golden, avoiding browning.
03 - Optionally, stir in crushed red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds.
04 - Add drained pasta to the skillet with garlic oil. Toss to coat evenly, gradually adding reserved pasta water until the sauce lightly clings to the noodles.
05 - Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Remove from heat and stir in half the parsley and half the Parmesan cheese.
06 - Distribute pasta onto plates. Top with remaining parsley, Parmesan, and optional lemon zest. Serve immediately.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • It's ready in under 30 minutes, which means weeknight dinner or last-minute entertaining becomes entirely manageable.
  • The garlic becomes sweet and mellow rather than sharp, a gentle surprise that won over even the skeptics at my table.
  • You probably have everything already, hidden in your pantry and fridge, waiting for this exact moment.
02 -
  • Pasta water is your secret weapon—those starchy, salty drops are what turn a slick of oil into an actual sauce. Don't skip this step or you'll end up with oily pasta instead of silky pasta.
  • Garlic burns faster than you'd expect, especially over medium heat. Stay present, keep your eyes on it, and pull it from the heat when it's still pale gold, not dark amber.
03 -
  • Reserve your pasta water before you drain anything; it's too easy to forget and impossible to recreate if you don't have it on hand.
  • Grate your cheese fresh every single time—it makes an actual difference in how it melts and integrates into the warm pasta.

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