Spaghetti with Garlic, Chili Flakes, and Parsley Recipe
A simple, classic Italian pasta dish featuring spaghetti tossed in a fragrant garlic and chilli-infused olive oil, finished with fresh parsley and optional Parmesan cheese. This quick and easy recipe is perfect for a flavorful meal in just 10 minutes.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Spaghetti
- 1 lb (450 grams) spaghetti, or other long pasta
Sauce
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 4–5 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 1 tsp dried chili flakes, or to taste (or 3 fresh chillies, deseeded and finely chopped)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
- salt, to taste
Topping
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more to serve (optional, if not keeping it vegan)
Instructions
- Cook the Spaghetti: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, meaning the pasta is tender but still has a slight bite to it.
- Prepare the Aromatics: While the pasta cooks, if using fresh chillies, remove the seeds and finely chop them. Peel and finely slice the garlic cloves for the sauce.
- Infuse the Olive Oil: Gently heat the olive oil in a frying pan over low to medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and chili flakes or fresh chopped chillies. Cook slowly for a few minutes until the garlic turns pale golden, allowing the flavors to infuse the oil gently without burning.
- Drain the Pasta: Once the spaghetti is al dente, drain it, reserving about half a cup of the starchy cooking water.
- Toss the Spaghetti: Add the drained spaghetti to the frying pan with the infused olive oil. Stir well to coat the pasta evenly. Add reserved cooking water little by little as needed to keep the pasta moist and help the sauce cling. Continue cooking on medium heat for about 30 seconds, stirring occasionally.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in the chopped fresh parsley. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese on top if desired. Serve immediately with extra parsley and Parmesan on the side for garnish and additional flavor.
Notes
- Be careful not to burn the garlic as it will turn bitter; cook gently until just pale gold.
- Adjust the chili flakes to your desired spice level or substitute with fresh chillies according to preference.
- Reserve pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce and help it cling beautifully to the spaghetti.
- This dish is vegan if omitted the Parmesan cheese or uses a plant-based alternative.
