Basic Garlicky Spaghetti Recipe
By
CHOW Food Team
A garlicky noodle dish is the perfect recipe to have in your back pocket as an alternative side dish to rice or potatoes. Try it alongside Eggplant Parmesan or Chicken Parmesan.
To see this recipe with illustrated steps, check out The Basics: How to Make Garlicky Spaghetti.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Parmesan cheese (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente or according to the package directions. Drain (without rinsing), reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
- Return the pot to the stove over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes (if using) and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Return the pasta to the pot, add half of the reserved pasta water, and stir to coat. Add the remaining pasta water, taste and season with salt and pepper if needed, and stir again. Remove the pot from heat. If you choose, serve the spaghetti topped with grated Parmesan cheese.
I love this recipe. I like to make this dish when it's really hot in my house, with a large salad alongside. My daughter prefers for me to finely mince some mushrooms and add them to the sauteed garlic before the addition of the pasta, but I never thought to add anchovies or tomato. Dinner tonight, haha.
Oh, one more thing, I'd probably use a touch less oil and a touch less water, but that's just because I prefer a less "slippery" texture to my noodles.
Ridiculously easy and quick to make; served a salad with balsamic vinaigrette alongside, which seemed a nice complement. My dining companion and I both agreed that adding cherry tomatoes to the pasta would've topped it off perfectly.
I will say a full cup of pasta water sounds like a lot to me. A half cup would be more like it.
I like adding some bread crumbs and parsley at the end along with the Parmesan. Also a couple slivers of anchovies with the garlic in the beginning
@jackattack: It's very traditional and common in pasta recipes that don't use a separate sauce to add some cooking water back, in order to moisten the pasta and allow the dry ingredients to cling to it. Otherwise, you have bone-dry pasta with bits of garlic stuck to it - not very appetizing. The pasta water has some starch in it from the pasta, which helps it to join with the other ingredients to...+READ
@jackattack: It's very traditional and common in pasta recipes that don't use a separate sauce to add some cooking water back, in order to moisten the pasta and allow the dry ingredients to cling to it. Otherwise, you have bone-dry pasta with bits of garlic stuck to it - not very appetizing. The pasta water has some starch in it from the pasta, which helps it to join with the other ingredients to form a "sauce" of sorts. Don't add enough to be watery, just enough to moisten everything.-COLLAPSE
I just realized there's a similar thoughtless ad placed at the top of the recipe. Msaybe you should hire a new web designer?
Why do you place an ad for Marcel's Quantum Kitchen, that CAN'T BE CLOSED OR MOVED, on top of the instructions for this recipe? Sadism? Childishness? Lack of consideration? Or jusrt plain stupid?
Yuck! Why are you returning a cup of pasta water to the dish......makes no sense. Watery pasta?
At a little bit of freshness with diced, fresh tomatoes.
This is also great with finely minced parsley, which is also a nutritional boost. Add at last second and toss.
Delicious and simple to make. You can also easily "pep" it up a little - try adding a few salted anchovies which melt slowly into the oil - just be careful not to add any extra salt. It is also good with some greens, such as rocket or spinach, stirred through at the end. The heat of the pasta wilts them, so no further cooking is required.
Enjoy!
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