This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy.
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!
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!
Ingredients
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
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.
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.
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
It is Italian for spaghetti with garlic and oil. You can find the basic recipe on Serious Eats.
No, using vegetable will result in a bland pasta. Extra-virgin olive oil is recommended for this dish.
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.
Yes, you sure can use chicken instead of shrimp as the protein of choice.
This recipe has 665 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
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.
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Recipes You Might Like
- Easy Spaghetti
- Spaghetti with Clams and Zucchini
- Shrimp Scampi Linguine
- Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Piccata
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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.
Either is fine.
Tried this last night. Delicious!!! My new go-to for shrimp and pasta. Yum!0
Made this with red lentil pasta instead of regular pasta and it worked perfectly. Great recipe!
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 :)
Thanks!
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