This Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Spinach is a traditional dish that is easy to make and packed with delicious flavors. The garlic olive oil sauce is light, healthy, and so tasty.
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is a pasta dish from Naples that is popular for its simplicity and great taste. Adding spinach makes it even better. This is a healthier pasta recipe that you can enjoy year round and will be a favorite with the whole family. Al dente spaghetti served in a garlicky olive oil sauce that has just a hint of spicy heat, and parsley stems and leaves that give this dish even more fresh flavor.
You'll love that this recipe has ingredients that are as healthy as they are delicious. Spinach has tons of vitamins and minerals, such as magnesium and folate, and the olive oil provides healthy fats. Light and simple, this dish uses ingredients that are easy to find and are probably already in your kitchen. It makes a great weeknight meal! Let's look at what you'll be using to make this Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Spinach.
Video Tutorial
What you'll need
- Spaghetti.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil. That's what adds flavor to the dish, so skip the refined olive oil here.
- Garlic.
- Parsley. We'll use the stems and the leaves.
- Red Pepper Flakes. For a touch of heat.
- Spinach. Use baby spinach leaves. They are tender and don't have hard stems.
- Salt. We'll season the pasta water generously.
- Pepper. Freshly ground black pepper makes the best garnish for this dish.
How to make it
1. Cut the stems off the parley and chop them finely. Chop the leaves separately. Set aside. (This step is optional. If you don’t have parley stems, just skip them).
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous amount of salt and the spaghetti. Stir, and start making the garlic olive oil sauce.
3. To a large stainless steel skillet, add the olive oil, finely chopped garlic, parsley stems, and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium-low heat for about 3-4 minutes, until the garlic just starts to change color.
4. At this point, add a ladle of pasta water to the skillet. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, and add the spinach. Cook, until spinach has wilted.
5. While the spinach is simmering, check on the pasta. You should cook the pasta about 1 minute less than you normally would.
6. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water and drain the pasta. Add the drained pasta and the reserved parsley leaves to the olive oil sauce. Stir, and keep cooking for about 1 more minute, adding splashes of pasta water, if necessary.
7. Turn off the heat and plate the pasta. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper.
Tips for the best Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Spinach
- Use good quality olive oil. This ingredient is the star of this dish so choose a good extra virgin olive oil to impart the most flavor into your pasta dish.
- Add enough salt. Make sure you season the pasta water generously, because it adds a lot of flavor and we are not using any extra salt, besides the one from the pasta water.
- Use fresh spinach. Baby spinach has tender stems, more so than other types or frozen spinach. This is just what you want for this Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Spinach dish.
- Cook the pasta slightly under. Because the pasta will cook a bit in the sauce, cook it about 1 minute less than you normally would so it is a perfect al dente when you serve it.
- Don't rinse the pasta. Rinsing the pasta will steal the starch that will help the sauce adhere to the noodles. So just drain it and then add it to the sauce, using the extra pasta water to get the right consistency.
Add-ins and Substitutes
- Substitute other pasta varieties. Though this is a spaghetti dish, you can make it with other long noodles if you haven't anything else on hand. Fettucine, linguine, and angel hair can also work.
- Add other vegetables. For a different flavor, add in mushrooms, olives, diced tomatoes, kale, or any other veggie that you like. This Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Spinach is very versatile.
- Add vegan Parmesan cheese. For a cheesy flavor, stir in Vegan Parmesan cheese or add nutritional yeast to the garlic olive oil sauce.
- Make it gluten-free. This simple dish is easy to make for those who don't eat gluten by just substituting the spaghetti for a wheat-free version.
How to Store
You can store any leftovers of this Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Spinach in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat it in the microwave or on the stove top. If the sauce has absorbed into the spaghetti and seems a little dry, then you can add a little olive oil or even water to freshen it up. Garnish and serve.
What to Serve with it
- Bread. Serve this Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Spinach with some crusty baguette and some vegan garlic butter.
- Salad. This pasta goes well with a fresh salad, such as Quick and Tasty Bulgur Salad, Tomato and Onion Salad, and Creamy Cucumber Radish Salad.
- Soup. Start the meal with a delicious soup, like this Creamy Vegetable Soup or Easy Lemon Lentil Soup.
- Vegetables. Pair this pasta dish with Vegan Stuffed Eggplants, Creamy Vegan Cauliflower Steaks, Roasted Mini Peppers, or Eggplant "Meatballs."
This Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Spinach is the perfect recipe for a quick, but absolutely delicious, meal. With lots of variations and simple ingredients, you can't go wrong with this recipe.
More tasty vegan pasta recipes:
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Spinach
Ingredients
- 16 oz. pasta
- 1 tbsp. salt or to taste
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 6 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped or minced
- 1 small bunch of parsley
- ⅛ tsp. red pepper flakes or to taste
- 8 oz. baby spinach leaves
- freshly ground black pepper, to garnish
Instructions
- Cut the stems off the parley and chop them finely. Chop the leaves separately. Set aside. (This step is optional. If you don’t have parley stems, just skip them).
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous amount of salt and the spaghetti. Stir, and start making the garlic olive oil sauce.
- To a large stainless steel skillet, add the olive oil, finely chopped garlic, parsley stems, and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium-low heat for about 3-4 minutes, until the garlic just starts to change color.
- At this point, add a ladle of pasta water to the skillet. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, and add the spinach. Cook, until spinach has wilted.
- While the spinach is simmering, check on the pasta. You should cook the pasta about 1 minute less than you normally would.
- Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water and drain the pasta. Add the drained pasta and the reserved parsley leaves to the olive oil sauce. Stir, and keep cooking for about 1 more minute, adding splashes of pasta water, if necessary.
- Turn off the heat and plate the pasta. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
Tips for the best Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Spinach
- Use good quality olive oil. This ingredient is the star of this dish so choose a good extra virgin olive oil to impart the most flavor into your pasta dish.
- Add enough salt. Make sure you season the pasta water generously, because it adds a lot of flavor and we are not using any extra salt, besides the one from the pasta water.
- Use fresh spinach. Baby spinach has tender stems, more so than other types or frozen spinach. This is just what you want for this Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Spinach dish.
- Cook the pasta slightly under. Because the pasta will cook a bit in the sauce, cook it about 1 minute less than you normally would so it is a perfect al dente when you serve it.
- Don't rinse the pasta. Rinsing the pasta will steal the starch that will help the sauce adhere to the noodles. So just drain it and then add it to the sauce, using the extra pasta water to get the right consistency.
Leave a Reply