Spaghetti with Garlic and Chile Flakes

Spaghetti with Garlic and Chile Flakes

This simple spaghetti with garlic and chile flakes couldn't be more simple. Just spaghetti, garlic, oil, and red pepper flakes. Great for lunch, snack, or a fast weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces spaghetti

    or more, if desired

  • 3 large-ish garlic cloves
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 big pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. 1

    Take out a large pot and bring at least 8 cups water to a rolling boil. Add some salt, then plunge in the pasta. Wait for the water to come back to a boil and then cook according to the package directions.

  2. 2

    While the pasta is cooking, peel the garlic and slice it as thinly as possible.

  3. 3

    When your pasta is ready, drain it, reserving a little of the cooking liquid in a bowl.

  4. 4

    Place the pot or a skillet on medium heat and pour in the oil. Add the garlic and chiles and cook briefly, until the garlic just starts to turn golden.

  5. 5

    Remove the pot from the heat and add the drained pasta and maybe 2 to 4 tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid, as much as needed to get your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spaghetti with Garlic and Chile Flakes

Spaghetti with Garlic and Chile Flakes

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Pasta With Garlic Butter Sauce

Pasta With Garlic Butter Sauce

For the best garlic butter sauce for pasta, use way more garlic than you’d think. This recipe serves two people and calls for a whole head—and nope, that’s not a mistake. When sizzled in melted butter until golden and toasty, this ingredient goes from sharp and bracing to warm and cozy, the sort of savory flavor that’s hard to overdo. Make sure that once it’s done cooking, you don’t drain the pasta into a colander. We want that salty, starchy water on call to bump up the seasoning and loosen the sauce as needed. It’ll thicken as it sits at the table, so err on the side of saucier than not. The optional bonuses are just that: totally optional. As in all Big Little Recipes, less is more here. Think: roughly chopped parsley (or basil or thyme), red pepper flakes or freshly ground black pepper, or grated Parm or pecorino. Opt for three picks, tops, so the butter and garlic can shine—they’re the stars of this show. Some additional tips for garlic butter sauce success: Any butter will do the trick here. But if you’re like me, and there’s a so-called “special butter” that you reserve for morning toast and baked potatoes (I love higher-fat, sunny-hued Kerrygold), this is a great time to use it. After all, the butter is half of the sauce. And if you only have salted butter on hand, that’s okay; just tone down the salt in the rest of the recipe, then increase to taste at the very end. On that note, when I say to “generously” season the pasta water with salt, I aim for about 1 tablespoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt per 1 quart of water. But! You can tone that down to 2 teaspoons, 1 teaspoon, or even 1/2 teaspoon of salt per quart of water. It all depends on your personal preference. And no need to measure the salt or the water; just eyeball both. This makes sure the pasta is taken care of. Any pasta shape will excel (thrive! soar!) in this context. I prefer a chunky variety with lots of nooks and crannies (say fusilli, rigatoni, or cavatappi), where the garlic bits can take refuge. But something long and twirly like spaghetti, linguine, or bucatini would be excellent, too. And if nutty whole-wheat pasta is your thing? Go for it. Helpful tools for this recipe: Five Two Stainless Steel Skillet Benedetto Cavalieri Italian Dried Pasta (Set of 2) Banner Grass-Fed Butter —Emma Laperruque

2 servings

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About this Recipe

Craving a deeply flavorful, satisfying meal that comes together in mere minutes? This simple Spaghetti with Garlic and Chile Flakes recipe is your answer, transforming pantry staples into a delicious dish perfect for any time of day.

What makes this classic combination so irresistible is its elegant simplicity. By focusing on just a few key ingredients—spaghetti, aromatic garlic, rich olive oil, and a kiss of heat from chile flakes—you unlock an incredible depth of flavor that belies its minimal effort, proving that sometimes less truly is more.

Prepare your senses for a symphony of flavors and textures. You'll savor tender spaghetti coated in a luscious, aromatic olive oil infused with the pungent warmth of sautéed garlic. Each forkful carries a delightful subtle kick from the crushed red pepper flakes, awakening your palate without overpowering the delicate balance. It's a truly comforting and straightforward dish, designed to be enjoyed when you need something quick yet utterly delicious, whether for a fast lunch, a satisfying snack, or an effortless weeknight dinner.

While this dish shines in its pure form, it's also wonderfully adaptable to your preferences. You might stir in a handful of fresh parsley at the end for brightness, or grate some Parmesan cheese over the top for an extra layer of savory depth. For a heartier meal, consider adding a quick-cooking protein like shrimp or pan-seared chicken, though it’s perfectly satisfying as is.

This versatile spaghetti dish is ideal for those busy evenings when you need a comforting meal in a flash, or as a light yet satisfying lunch. Serve it simply in a bowl, perhaps with a crusty piece of bread to sop up the flavorful oil.

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