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Italian Garlic Olive Oil Pasta for Healthy Pasta Recipes

I make this on quiet nights when I want comfort that still feels light. From the first sizzle of garlic in warm olive oil, the room smells like a tiny trattoria. The sauce stays simple, bright, and ready for twirls of tender pasta. It sits right in Healthy Pasta Recipes, which I lean on when I want a bowl that treats me kindly. We keep it honest here. Thin slices of garlic soften in oil, a pinch of chili wakes them up, and salty pasta water brings the whole thing together. I use this dish as my north star for garlic pasta recipes and for Italian Pasta Recipes that respect time and taste. If you like healthy recipes pasta, this will fit. If you search for recipes healthy pasta or even food recipes pasta, this checks those boxes without fuss. We finish with parsley, a squeeze of lemon, and a last shower of cheese if you like. The flavor reads clean and steady, more olive oil and garlic than anything else, like a true Italian Pasta Sauce taught in a home kitchen. We eat, we talk, and the bowl goes empty faster than we plan.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: aglio e olio, food recipes pasta, garlic pasta recipes, Healthy Pasta Recipes, healthy recipes pasta, Italian Pasta Recipes, Italian Pasta Sauce, olive oil pasta, quick pasta dinner, recipes healthy pasta
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Linda

Ingredients

  • 400 g spaghetti
  • 6 large garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt plus more for pasta water
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lemon zest and juice
  • 1 cup reserved hot pasta water
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • Grated parmesan or pecorino optional

Instructions

  1. Boil a large pot of well salted water. Cook spaghetti until just shy of al dente. Reserve one cup of the hot pasta water and drain.
  2. Warm olive oil in a wide skillet over medium low. Add sliced garlic and cook until pale gold. Do not let it brown.
  3. Stir in red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Add a splash of the reserved water to stop the cooking.
  4. Toss in the drained pasta. Add half the reserved water and shake the pan until the sauce clings and looks glossy.
  5. Add lemon zest and juice. Toss again. If the pasta looks tight, add more reserved water a little at a time.
  6. Fold in parsley. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Finish with cheese if you like and serve right away.