It’s Just Garlic, Oil, and Noodles and That’s Enough
You know how we Koreans have soy sauce egg rice — that simple, comforting go-to meal?
Well, in the pasta world, I feel like Aglio e Olio totally holds that same position. It’s basic, but in the best way.
I had some leftover squid ink pasta from when I made that seafood pasta (with shrimp and octopus ), so I decided to use it up and try making a super classic Aglio e Olio no extra toppings.
Ingredients
- Pasta noodles (I used squid ink pasta!)
- Olive oil
- Garlic
How to make it
- Boil your pasta in salted water until just right.
- In a separate pan, pour in a generous amount of olive oil, and toss in sliced garlic. Let that garlic infuse the oil with all its flavor.
- Add your cooked noodles straight into the pan and ladle in about 2 scoops of pasta water. Mix it well so everything gets nice and glossy.
- Don’t be shy with the salt and pepper — this is where the magic happens!
This was actually my first time making truly basic Aglio e Olio — no bacon, no shrimp, no veggies — and at first I was like, “Wait… is this it?”
But the more I ate, the more I appreciated the subtle flavors. The nuttiness of the garlic, the richness of the olive oil… it all just worked together so well.
The key is to season it properly. Since the flavor is so minimal and pure, you really have to go generous on the salt and pepper to bring it to life.