Pasta con Aglio e Olio for Two

As someone who’s been cooking for two for years—often with an eye on simplicity, convenience, and more recently, vegetarian recipes—I’m always on the lookout for dishes that check all the boxes: quick, delicious, satisfying, and made with what I already have on hand. And that is what Pasta con Aglio e Olio delivers.

I made this recipe after reading Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci for my book club (it was my pick!). Among the many memorable stories and recipes he shares, his take on Pasta con Aglio e Olio stuck with me. I tried it once… and then again… and now, over a year later, it’s become a staple in my kitchen. What I’m sharing here is the version I’ve made again and again—the kind of weeknight comfort food that comes together in minutes but never feels like a shortcut.

This is a vegetarian dish and it’s one that even omnivores love. It’s garlicky, silky, and wonderfully pantry-friendly. It’s one my top pantry recipes in fact. I always keep the ingredients on hand for those nights when I don’t know what to make or just want something warm and satisfying with minimal effort.

Below you’ll find my notes and tips for getting it just right.

Jump to:

• Getting Started
• Ingredient Recommendations
• Finishing Touches
• Pairings
• Leftovers
• Recipe

Getting Started

The key to getting deep garlic flavor (without burning it) is to start cold. As in not having the pan or oil hot yet. Cold, in this case, means room temp. Place your sliced garlic into a cold pan with your olive oil and slowly bring the heat up together. I learned this technique in a cooking class in Italy, and it makes a difference. It infuses the oil with flavor and avoids the bitter taste of burned garlic.

Once your pasta is ready, your garlic oil should be too. I use tongs to transfer the noodles directly from the pot into the pan. I’ve had spaghetti stick to the pan before, so I now turn the heat down just before adding the noodles. That little adjustment seems to help keep things silky instead of sticky.

You may notice I don’t use the mantecare technique in this recipe. You can but in this case I think it’s an unnecessary extra step.

Pasta con Aglio e Olio Ingredient Recommendations

Garlic

Big, fresh cloves make all the difference here. I slice them into thirds or fourths—not too thin. Thicker slices cook up into golden, almost buttery bites that melt in your mouth. Thin slices will crisp and possibly burn, so thicker is safer and tastier.

Olive Oil

This is one of those dishes where the olive oil really matters. I recommend a good-quality extra virgin olive oil, preferably labeled Product of Italy or 100% Italiano. I’ve tried this recipe with generic olive oil and again with a proper Italian EVOO—the difference is night and day.

Seasoning

This dish doesn’t need much:

• A pinch of salt
• A couple of cracks of black pepper
• A shake or two of paprika—about ½ teaspoon if you want to measure it. I usually just go by eye. 

Pasta con Aglio e Olio Finishing Touches

To serve, use warm pasta bowls if you can. Zapping bowls and plates in the microwave for 30 seconds or less helps keep everything at a nice temperature for serving.

Make sure each serving gets its fair share of garlic. Don’t let one person hog it all! It’s soooo good.

I stick to Stanley’s rule: No cheese. No extras. The simplicity is the beauty of it.

That said, if you’ve made it this way once and want to experiment later—add roasted tomatoes, sprinkle in some chili flakes, even toss in cheese—go for it. But you have to try this basic recipe first.

Pasta con Aglio e Olio Pairings

To round out the meal, I often serve this pasta with:

• A crisp side salad – for some greens and crunch
• Simple bruschetta – just garlic, olive oil, and salt on toasted bread
• Roasted garlic broccoli – to stay in the garlic theme

Pasta con Aglio e Olio Leftovers

This recipe is portioned for two, so we rarely have leftovers—but if you scale it up or happen to have some left, it reheats well in the microwave. Nothing beats a fresh batch, but even next-day garlic pasta is still a treat.

If you’re just starting to explore easy vegetarian recipes or want a reliable pantry recipe fallback that always delivers, this one’s worth bookmarking, pinning, printing, or saving however you like. It’s fast, full of flavor, and makes a regular appearance in my kitchen rotation.

Let me know if you try it—especially if you’re a fellow Taste fan!

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