Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti Aglio E Olio is one of the simplest pasta recipe ever yet one of the most delicious. Try this 4 ingredient under 30 minute recipe and make the best pasta dish ever. Serve this garlicky pasta with some crusty bread and wine for a lovely meal. Here is step by step recipe of how to make Pasta Aglio Olio Recipe.
Sometimes the simplest of things are the best and this Pasta Aglio E Olio is the best pasta you can ever make. The best part is that it needs only 2-3 ingredients to pull it together. I made it for dinner yesterday and the pan was mopped clean in no time. Do try it at home and let me know how it turned out. Here is some information about Pasta Aglio E Olio.
What is Aglio E Olio?
Aglio E Olio is a simple pasta dish from Naples region in Italy where Spaghetti pasta is sautéed in olive oil and garlic. It is very lightly flavoured with red chilli flakes and herbs like parsley. You can add some grated Parmesan Cheese to your Aglio E Olio if you wish to. I always add some cheese because I just love that umami in my pasta.
How to pronounce Aglio E Olio?
Check this link to learn to pronounce Pasta Aglio e Olio.
How to make Garlic Shrimp Pasta Aglio E Olio?
To make Garlic Shrimp Pasta Aglio E Olio, heat water in a large pot. Bring the water to a boil and add salt to it. Add pasta in the salted water and cook till Al Dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water and drain the rest.
Heat extra virgin olive oil in a pan on high heat. Add the garlic and fry until lightly browned. Add shrimps and crushed red pepper flakes and the reserved water. Now add the cooked pasta and parsley and toss well.
Remove the pan from heat and add the grated Parmesan Cheese if you wish to. And the pasta is ready to serve. Easy right?
Tips to make best Spaghetti Aglio E Olio
Use the water from boiling the pasta to thin the sauce. It has starch from the pasta and add on to the flavour and texture.
Adding parmesan is optional. Infact, it’s not added traditionally. So skip it you want a lighter version. I personally love it in my recipe and so never skip it.
This recipe uses just 2-3 ingredients, so make sure they are the best. It will make a difference in the taste.
Ideally pasta should be cooked Al Dente which means it is still firm when bitten. However, I like my pasta slightly over cooked. I cook it for an extra minute to suit my taste.
Make the pasta just before you want to serve it. This recipe tastes best when served immediately.
Variations of Pasta Aglio e Olio
Add crispy Bacon to the pasta instead of Shrimp to make Bacon Pasta Aglio E Olio.
You can add spring onion greens to the pasta instead of parsley for a different flavour.
Add vegetables like broccoli, zucchini, fennel, mushroom, asparagus or meats like chicken , shrimps, fish etc to this pasta.
To add a nice crunch in the pasta, you can add roasted nuts like hazel nut, pine nut, walnuts or pecans.
To make Aglio e Olio with chicken, use boiled and shredded chicken. You can shredded grilled chicken too.
Kale also goes very well in this pasta. Blanch the kale before adding it in the oil.
How to make Olio e Peperoncino?
Peperoncino means red pepper in Italian. You can add some chopped hot red peppers along with garlic for a spicy kick.
“Peperoncino (Italian: [peperonˈtʃiːno]; plural peperoncini [-ni]; sometimes spelled pepperoncino or pepperoncini in English) is the generic Italian name for hot chilli peppers, specifically the cultivars of the species Capsicum annuum and Capsicum frutescens. The sweet pepper is called peperone (plural peperoni) in Italian.” – Source
How to make Aglio Olio e Pangrattato?
Pangrattato is Italian for Breadcrumbs. You can make a variation of Spaghetti Aglio e Olio by topping it with breadcrumbs just before serving. Make flavoured breadcrumbs like lemon or parsley for added flavour.
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How to make Spaghetti Aglio E Olio Step by Step
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tbsp salt to it. When the water, starts to boil, add pasta to it and cook until the pasta is just cooked.
While the pasta is cooking, heat Extra Virgin Olive oil in a pan.
Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
Add shrimps and red chilli flakes and cook for 30 seconds.
Now add 1/4 cup of water from the boiling pasta in the pan and cook for another 2 minutes.
Drain the spaghetti and add it in the pan along with parsley and toss well.
Remove the pan from heat and add the parmesan cheese. Serve hot.
Garlic Shrimp Aglio Olio Recipe
Garlic Shrimp Pasta Aglio E Olio
Garlic Shrimp Pasta Aglio E Olio is one of the simplest pasta recipe ever yet one of the most delicious. Try this 4 ingredient recipe and make the best pasta dish ever. Here is a step by step recipe to make it.
Ingredients
- 300 g Spaghetti
- 4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tsp Garlic Minced
- 8-10 Shrimps Cleaned
- 1/2 tsp Red Chilli Flakes
- 2 tbsp Parsley Chopped
- 50 g Parmesan Cheese Grated
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add 2 tbsp salt to it.
When the water, starts to boil, add pasta to it and cook until the pasta is just cooked.
While the pasta is cooking, heat Extra Virgin Olive oil in a pan.
Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
Add shrimps and red chilli flakes and cook for 30 seconds.
Now add 1/2 cup of water from the boiling pasta in the pan and cook for another 2 minutes.
Drain the spaghetti and add it in the pan along with parsley and toss well.
Remove the pan from heat and add the parmesan cheese.
Serve hot.
Recipe Notes
I personally like slightly overcooked pasta and so I cook it for one extra minute.
Are you making this recipe? I LOVE to see your creations so snap a photo and tag Whiskaffair on Instagram with the hashtag #Whiskaffair and please give a star rating below ★. You can follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for more such easy recipes.
Melissa Griffiths
So easy! This is a perfect quick, week night meal!
Neha Mathur
Thnx Melissa 🙂