Vegetarian Recipes

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

When I’m in the throes of a busy week and don’t have time to whip up something extravagant for dinner, this Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is a classic I’m always happy to revisit! The ingredients are already crazy simple, but if you really want to simplify it even further, you can create some serious alchemy with just spaghetti, olive oil, and garlic.

Overhead view of Spaghetti Algio e Olio on a plate with a fork.

This classic Italian pasta dish is traditionally made with spaghetti, garlic, olive oil, and some pasta water to create a glossy, flavorful sauce. That’s it! No cream, no heavy sauces. It quite literally means “spaghetti with garlic and oil” in Italian. My version keeps all that simplicity but adds a few extra layers of flavor to make it even more irresistible. However, you can skip these if you’d like and stick to the OG version. It’s still equally as delicious.

True story: One of my private clients requested spaghetti aglio e olio for almost every dinner. So, needless to say, I can whip it up with my eyes closed (not recommended) in no time. I think this garlicky, rich spaghetti is the dish I’ve made the most as a professional chef, which is funny because it’s so freakin’ simple!

Overhead view of Spaghetti Algio e Olio in a saucepan.

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio Recipe

This Spaghetti Aglio e Olio recipe is garlicky, flavorful, and made using simple pantry staples. Perfect for busy weeknights with minimal effort!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Total Cost ($5.35 recipe / $0.66 serving)

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 367kcal

Author Jess Rice

Equipment

Large Pot
Large Saucepan

Ingredients

1 lb spaghetti $0.98
1 tsp salt, divided $0.05
1 bulb garlic (about 20 cloves), peeled and sliced thin $0.70
¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper $0.05
½ tsp cracked red pepper $0.06
½ cup olive oil $1.55
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated $1.80
1 Tbsp minced Italian parsley $0.08
2 Tbsp lemon juice $0.08
¼ cup pasta water (reserved from cooking the spaghetti) $0.00

Instructions

Gather ingredients and set a large pot of water to boil, adding ½ tsp salt to the water.
Once pasta has been cooked until al dente, about 10 minutes, strain the pasta, reserving ¼ cup of pasta water.
In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, sauté sliced garlic with black pepper, ½ tsp salt, and red pepper flakes in olive oil. Sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Pour strained cooked pasta into the large saucepan with the sautéed garlic and oil.
Toss thoroughly so every piece of spaghetti is coated in garlicky oil. Then, add grated parmesan cheese, parsley, lemon juice, and 2 Tbsp of pasta water. Toss to combine so the cheese melts into the sauce and covers all of the pasta. Add a little more starchy pasta water, only if needed to achieve a looser texture if desired.

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Notes

I know Parmesan Cheese isn’t a traditional ingredient, but the salty, umami flavor of parmesan complements the garlic and olive oil beautifully. I only add enough to lightly coat the pasta, not so much that it becomes a cheesy spaghetti dish like Cacio e Pepe.
I use a whole head of garlic, about 20 cloves, to make 8 servings of spaghetti aglio e olio. It may seem like a lot, but trust me, it’s what gives the dish its bold and irresistible flavor! The trick is to slice the garlic thinly so it infuses into the oil and doesn’t burn.
Some classic recipes add fresh chili peppers to create ‘spaghetti aglio olio e peperoncino’ (spaghetti with garlic, oil, and chili pepper). I prefer to use cracked red pepper flakes as they’re cheaper, and I can better control the level of heat.

Nutrition

how to make Spaghetti Aglio e Olio—step by step photos

The ingredients for Spaghetti Algio e Olio on a wooden cutting board.

Gather all of your ingredients and bring a large pot of water to a boil, seasoning it with ½ tsp of salt.

Cook 1 lb spaghetti until al dente (about 10 minutes). Strain the pasta and reserve ¼ cup of pasta water.

Sliced garlic, black pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes in a saucepan with olive oil.

Over medium-low heat, sauté 1 bulb of sliced garlic (about 20 cloves) with ¼ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp red pepper flakes with ½ cup olive oil in a large saucepan until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Be careful not to burn the garlic!

Sliced garlic and red pepper flakes cooked in olive oil in a saucepan.

After 2 minutes, your garlic should be fragrant and ready to toss with the spaghetti.

Pour your strained spaghetti into the saucepan with the sautéed garlic and oil. Toss the spaghetti well until every piece is coated in the garlic oil.

Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley added to spaghetti in a saucepan.

Add ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 Tbsp minced Italian parsley, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, and 2 Tbsp of your reserved pasta water.

Finished Spaghetti Algio e Olio in a saucepan.

Toss to combine so the cheese melts into the sauce and covers all the spaghetti. If desired, you can add a little more reserved pasta water to achieve a looser texture. Serve and enjoy!

Overhead view of Spaghetti Algio e Olio on a plate.

Garlic is one of the cheapest ways to add big flavor, and it’s the star ingredient in this simple spaghetti aglio e olio recipe. To help you out, here are some of my tried and true tips for cooking with garlic:

How you prep it matters! I slice my garlic thinly because it cooks quickly and evenly in the olive oil, creating a rich garlic-infused flavor. If you mince it, it will likely burn and become bitter because the pieces are smaller.
Avoid bitter garlic by cooking it over low heat. I cook the garlic in this recipe for about 2 minutes over medium-low, until fragrant. Cooking it for too long or over too high heat can make it burn and become bitter.
If your garlic went too far and turned bitter, don’t toss the whole dish just yet. Try adding something sweet (a pinch of sugar or honey), something acidic (lemon juice or vinegar), or something salty (Parmesan or soy sauce) to offset the bitterness. As this recipe uses both lemon juice and Parmesan cheese, you might not have to make any adjustments at all!
Did you know garlic can turn blue when cooked with acidic ingredients like lemon juice or vinegar? This happens due to a chemical reaction and is completely harmless. It is more likely to happen to older garlic or garlic stored in colder temperatures. So don’t worry if your dish turns a little colorful; it’s still safe to eat! (However, if your garlic had spots of blue/green before cooking, it may be a sign of spoilage and should be discarded).

Serving Suggestions

When serving spaghetti aglio e olio, I like to keep the sides simple and fresh. My Greek salad recipe is currently on rotation in my house, and it goes perfectly with this pasta dish. I also like a simple sautéed veggie that I can throw together while the spaghetti cooks. Sautéed green beans, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts are all great options.

Storage & Reheating

This spaghetti aglio e olio recipe is definitely best served fresh. The spaghetti can become dry and a bit clumpy when reheated. But if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, add a splash of water to the spaghetti and microwave or heat in a pan (with a little oil) over medium-low heat until warmed through.

Side view of Spaghetti Algio e Olio in a saucepan.

Overhead view of chicken spaghetti in a white casserole dish with a wooden spoon placed inside.

Chicken Spaghetti RECIPE

$13.36 recipe / $2.23 serving

Overhead view of a plate of spaghetti carbonara with a fork.

Easy Spaghetti Carbonara

$4.48 recipe / $0.74 serving

Baked Spaghetti

$8.95 recipe / $1.49 serving

Spaghetti with Hidden Vegetable Pasta Sauce

$6.21 recipe / $1.55 serving

The post Spaghetti Aglio e Olio appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Cheesy Vegetarian

Easy Mediterranean Lentil Meatballs

Don’t you just love it when a recipe is as simple as ‘mix + bake’? No pre-cooking, no unnecessary extra steps – just mix together all of the ingredients, and pop it in the oven. And that’s just the case for these vegetarian lentil meatballs (lentil balls? vegeballs? meatlessballs?). They couldn’t be easier.

Other easy ‘mix and bake’ recipes → easy nut roast; baked fajita rice; Boursin pasta.

Vegetarian Mediterranean lentil meatballs served with spaghetti and tomato sauce.

I served my lentil balls with spaghetti and tomato sauce – spaghetti and meatballs is such a classic that’s hard to improve on. If you prefer, you could equally serve these vegetarian meatballs with couscous and tzatziki, stuffed into pitta bread, or even just eaten straight from the oven (no judgment here). They’re packed with Mediterranean-inspired flavours, and they’re super versatile.

Mediterranean lentil meatballs on a baking tray.

What’s in these Lentil Meatballs?

The basic recipe for these lentil meatballs is canned lentils + flour + egg (the same base I used for my cheesy lentil burgers). Once you’ve got that far, you can jazz things up however you like. I added:

black olives
sun-dried tomatoes
parmesan-style cheese
fresh basil
garlic

If you like, you could easily switch things up to bring a different flavour profile to your meatballs – maybe you could make a Tex-Mex version, or use some Indian spices, for example.

Cheesy Vegetarian Bakes ebook on an ipad screen.

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Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make these vegetarian meatballs. See the printable recipe card below for detailed ingredient quantities.

cooked lentils. I used lentils from a can, because they’re so convenient – just drain them well, and they’re ready to use. If you can’t get canned lentils, you can boil dried brown or green lentils until they’re soft, then continue with the recipe as written. I would not recommend using red lentils for this recipe, as they will not give quite the same end result.
eggs
plain flour (I used wholemeal for extra fibre)
sun-dried tomatoes
black olives
parmesan-style cheese. ‘Real’ parmesan isn’t vegetarian, but there are plenty of vegetarian alternatives, which are very similar. Often, supermarkets sell a generic ‘Italian hard cheese’, which is usually vegetarian.
fresh basil
garlic granules

Spaghetti with tomato sauce and Mediterranean lentil meatballs.

Printable Instructions

Mediterranean Lentil Meatballs

Easy vegetarian lentil meatballs, made extra tasty with Mediterranean-inspired ingredients. These are so simple – just mix and bake!

Course Main meal

Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings meatballs

Calories 216kcal

Author Becca Heyes

Ingredients

2 x 390g tins green lentils, thoroughly drained (470g, or ~ 2 2/3 cups, in total when drained)
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons sliced black olives, roughly chopped
5 pieces sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
50 g (~ 1/2 cup) finely grated vegetarian parmesan-style cheese
1 teaspoon garlic granules
Few sprigs fresh basil, roughly chopped
85 g (~ 2/3 cup) plain flour (I used wholemeal)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F). Add all of the ingredients, except for the flour, to a large mixing bowl. Use a fork to mix the ingredients thoroughly. It’s fine if the lentils get a little mashed up.
Add the flour, and mix well to combine.
Lightly grease a baking sheet. Use clean hands to form the mixture into ball shapes, and place them on the tray. The mixture will be quite sticky – they don’t have to be perfect balls. I managed to get 25 balls from the mixture.
Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes, until the lentil balls are slightly crispy and just firm.
Serve with spaghetti and tomato sauce, if desired.

Nutrition

Recipe FAQs

Can I prepare these lentil balls in advance?

You could certainly mix together the ingredients in advance, and then store the mixture in a sealed container in the fridge for a day or so, until you’re ready to shape and bake the balls. The meatballs are tastiest when freshly baked, but if needed, you could even bake them in advance, and then reheat when you’re ready to eat them.

Can I freeze these lentil meatballs?

I didn’t experiment with freezing these balls, but it’s the sort of recipe I have had luck with freezing in the past, so I definitely think it’s worth a try.

How should I reheat leftover vegetarian meatballs?

The easiest way to reheat these lentil meatballs is in the microwave. They do dry out a little and lose their crispiness when reheated, but they’re still tasty. Alternatively, you could re-crisp them in the oven or air fryer.

How should I serve vegetarian lentil balls?

I served my meatballs with spaghetti and tomato sauce, which worked beautifully. You could alternatively serve them stuffed into pitta bread with some tzatziki, or alongside some mashed potato.