Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

4.63 from 96 votes
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Spaghetti Aglio e Olio - easy delicious pasta with shrimp, olive oil, garlic and chili flakes. This aglio e olio recipe is as good as Italian restaurants!

Easy shrimp spaghetti aglio e olio served with chopped parsley and red pepper flakes on top.
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Aglio E Olio

Aglio e olio is one of the most basic and easiest Italian recipes.

As the name suggests, the pasta is made with garlic (aglio) and oil (olio). The recipe originated from Naples and it’s very popular worldwide.

The two key ingredients are olive oil and garlic. Aglio e olio spaghetti is also speckled with red pepper flakes, which gives the recipe a subtle heat.

The oil, garlic and heat transform this simple pasta dish into a delicious and restaurant-quality meal that you can make at home!

Spaghetti aglio e olio with shrimp, garnished with parsley and additional red pepper flakes.

Ingredients

Ingredients for spaghetti aglio e olio.

I made the recipe with shrimp. Here are the list of ingredients:

  • Spaghetti
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Garlic
  • Tiger prawn or shrimp
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Parsley
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Salt
  • Water

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.


How To Make This Recipe

Al dente spaghetti noodles a pot of hot water.

Step 1: Bring a pot of water to boil. Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside. Save 3 tablespoons of the pasta water.

Shrimp, red pepper flakes and garlic in a skillet being stirred with a spatula.

Step 2: Heat a skillet on medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds, add the shrimp, chili flakes and salt. Cook the shrimp until both sides turn white, then add the spaghetti and water into the skillet. Stir to combine well.

Shrimp spaghetti aglio e olio in a skillet being garnished with parsley.

Step 3: Add the parsley into the skillet, stir to distribute well. Turn off the heat and add the Parmesan cheese. Dish out and serve immediately.


Frequently Asked Questions

What does aglio olio mean?

It is Italian for spaghetti with garlic and oil. You can find the basic recipe on Serious Eats.

Can I use vegetable oil for aglio e olio pasta?

No, using vegetable will result in a bland pasta. Extra-virgin olive oil is recommended for this dish.

Do I have to use tiger prawn?

You can never go wrong with plump, fresh, and juicy tiger prawn on your pasta.
However, you can always use regular shrimp. I prefer shelled and deveined shrimp or tiger prawn, with tails on.

Can I use chicken?

Yes, you sure can use chicken instead of shrimp as the protein of choice.

How many calories per serving?

This recipe has 665 calories per serving.

Pasta aglio e olio with shrimp, olive oil and garlic swirled on a fork.

What To Serve With Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Aglio e olio recipe with shrimp, spaghetti, garlic and olive oil served on a plate.

This meal is best served as a main entree with side dishes. For a wholesome Italian meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.

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4.63 from 96 votes

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio – easy delicious pasta with shrimp, olive oil, garlic and chili flakes. This aglio e olio recipe is as good as Italian restaurants!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2 people
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Ingredients  

  • water, for boiling
  • 8 oz. spaghetti
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 oz. tiger prawn , or medium-sized shrimp, shelled, deveined, tail-on
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt , or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
  • 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions 

  • Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside, reserving 3 tablespoons of the pasta water.
  • Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, then add the shrimp, chili flakes, and salt. Cook the shrimp until both sides turn white, then add the spaghetti and reserved pasta water to the skillet. Stir to combine well.
  • Add the parsley to the skillet and stir to distribute it evenly. Turn off the heat and add the Parmesan cheese. Dish out and serve immediately.

Video

Notes

  • Using vegetable will result in a bland pasta. Extra-virgin olive oil is recommended for this dish.
  • You can use chicken instead of shrimp as the protein of choice.

Nutrition

Serving: 2people, Calories: 665kcal, Carbohydrates: 88g, Protein: 33g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 148mg, Sodium: 1361mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 3g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Please rate and comment below!

About Rasa Malaysia

Bee is a recipe developer and best-selling cookbook author, sharing easy, quick, and delicious Asian and American recipes since 2006. With a strong following of almost 2 million fans online, her expertise has been featured in major publications, TV and radio programs, and live cooking demos throughout the United States and Asia.

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Recipe Rating





39 Comments

  1. Shirley Ho says:

    5 stars
    On the cooking oil, is extra Virgin olive oil and olive oil interchangeable? I remember one of them has lower smoke point and, hence, not suitable for stir fried.

    1. Bee Yinn Low says:

      Either is fine.

  2. Judy says:

    5 stars
    Tried this last night. Delicious!!! My new go-to for shrimp and pasta. Yum!0

  3. Andrew says:

    Made this with red lentil pasta instead of regular pasta and it worked perfectly. Great recipe!

  4. Janice says:

    I stumbled upon this recipe as I was looking for again olio recipe in my phone while in the grocery, bought the ingredients and cooking this tonight. Hope my family will love it. Thanks for sharing your recipe :)

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Thanks!

      1. Vicki Warr says:

        I have made this a couple of times. This time I used linguine. I sauted the shrimp garlic and some onion and the parsley together In a skillet then added the shrimp. I browned some butter. Get that nutty flavor. Combine all and put grated mazithra cheese on top.Yummy