A stunningly simple dish of pasta in a simple sauce of garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes and parsley. Aglio e Olio is typically made with spaghetti but I love it with ribbon pastas like fettuccine. This Italian classic is beloved for all the right reasons, and it makes a great weeknight dinner!
This is one of my favorite ways to eat pasta, especially ribbony ones like spaghetti, fettuccine, and pappardelle. And it's also one of the easiest ways to make it.
I first ate this utterly simple but surprisingly flavorful pasta made with a sauce of garlic and olive oil (aglio e olio) for the first time at the home of one of Desi's colleagues who had invited us to dinner. I had never been a huge fan of parsley because, perhaps like every Indian who's migrated to the United States, I bought it the first time in error-- thinking it was coriander, the herb we Indians cannot live without. I went ahead and added it to my curry and imagine my disappointment when instead of the fresh, lemony, spicy bite of cilantro, I tasted the understated parsley.
I am too much of an herbivore to turn my back on anything green forever and over the years I did learn to enjoy parsley in dishes like tabbouleh and in soups. But it was Barbara's pasta that made me fall unequivocally in love with this herb.
One of the reasons, perhaps, is that it is the star ingredient here and it adds a fresh note to the pasta dressed in nothing else but some fruity, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, salt, and-- my addition-- a few red pepper flakes.
On to the recipe. Hope everyone had a great weekend and is all set for a lovely week ahead because at the end of it lies...another weekend!
More vegan pasta recipes
- Pasta with Greens and Beans
- Vegan Lemon Pasta with Basil
- Easy Wholegrain Pasta with Spinach Pesto
- Vegan Pasta with Sausage and Greens
Pasta Aglio e Olio
Ingredients
- 16 oz fettuccine (pappardelle's also great here). Cook the pasta to an al-dente texture in plenty of well-salted water.
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic , grated
- 2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (use less if you prefer)
- Salt to taste
- ½ cup Italian parsley (finely chopped)
For serving
- ¼ cup vegan parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the garlic. Saute over medium-low heat for a few seconds until the garlic becomes lightly golden. You don't want to burn it.
- Add the red pepper flakes and parsley. Toss to mix. Season with some salt.
- Add the drained fettuccine along with ½ cup of the water you cooked the pasta in.
- Mix everything and turn off the heat.
- You need nothing more than a fresh, leafy side salad to make a delicious meal of this.
- Enjoy, all!
Kaye Brennan
Isn't fettucine pasta made with eggs? - can you buy vegan versions? Please tell me where! 🙂
Vaishali
Kaye, you can find vegan versions of almost any pasta. I don't remember which brand I used here, but it shouldn't be hard to find.
Cindystar
thank you very much for this Italian style dish, I would add only one thing most Italians can not do without on pasta: a generous sprinkle of Parmesan! 🙂
WHB#276 recap
is on line, have a nice week!
Vaishali
Samarpita, bursting with flavor is right 🙂 I'll be sure to share your compliment with Desi.
Erica, I couldn't agree more.
Archana, welcome and thank you for making my day. My parents make tomato saar and I remember it was delicious-- I'll be sure to ask my dad for the recipe when I call him this Sunday.
Mahimaa, Thanks 🙂
Mahimaa's kitchen
lovely pics.. looks so good.
Erica
yum this looks delicious! I love simple and easy recipes like this! Sometimes the simpler the better you know?
Archana
Hi Vaishali. I came across your blog about a year ago and you've inspired me to become a vegitarian, not quite vegan...yet. I am hoping you have a recipie for Tomato Saar. I think its a very light tomato based soup infused with hing and mustard seeds. Thanks and keep on doing what you do!
Vaishali
Nithya, Pickyeater, HariniJaya, Priya, Thanks, and I'll be sure to pass on the compliments to Desi. 🙂
Rajendra, How sweet of you to say that :). Desi uses a Nikon DSLR.
Claire, I've heard so many people say they hate cilantro and I could never understand it-- I guess it just goes on to show how most tastes are developed. The ones we develop early are the ones we love most.
Sushma, Sanjeeta, Thanks!
Samarpita Deb
Hey this is my favorite way of having pasta. I add dry red chillies to the oil when frying the garlic and add some dry basil (i don't like using fresh for this dish). First time I had this pasta aglio oilo, I was so surprised to have a pasta w/o sauce yet bursting with flavor.
And Desi is surpassing himself with his photography skills.
Sushma Mallya
Thts a simple and lovely recipe, looks delicious!
Sanjeeta kk
Lovely clicks, Vaishali! The recipe sounds so easy with few ingredients to go in it.
Claire
The first time I had cilantro, we had just moved from Florida to San Antonio, Texas and my mom bought it thinking it was watercress. I thought it tasted musty the fIirst time I had it - now I love it.
This looks wonderful. I'm glad you learned to love parsley!
Priya
Cant take my eyes from ur clicks, simply tempting..
Anonymous
The pictures say more than the words. What camera does Desi use for these pictures? Both of you complement each other well. *Rajendra
harini-jaya
gorgeous pictures !! The picture stole the lime light here !!
thepickyeater
awesome pics...wish i could eat the picture !! happy cooking 🙂
do check out my food blog
Nithya
Wow.. simple yet classic dish. I love the clicks a lot 🙂 Instantly tempting 🙂
Vaishali
Sanyukta, Thanks.
Manasi, Thanks! It was just one of those lucky weekend days when we were home in the daytime and the sunshine was still available. Daylight's definitely the best for food photos, but unfortunately most of my cooking happens at night when I get home from work. 🙁
Debra, Thanks!
Debra
So simple yet so delicious! The picture is amazing.
Blessings, Debra
Raw Vegan Diet
Manasi
Stunning pictures Vaishali! New lightbox?
And really, no sauce? umm... no. sauce! opens up a new line of thought (at least for me)
Sanyukta Gour(Bayes)
Yummo...droolworthy dish...