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Home » Recipes » Main Dish Recipes

Spaghetti Aglio with Green Peas

Published: Sep 17, 2018 · Modified: Dec 27, 2021 by Jan Nunes

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Spaghetti with a light olive oil and garlic sauce. Green Peas and red pepper flakes add extra taste & beauty.

Spaghetti Aglio with Green Peas is a delicious light dinner or late night snack. You can make it in only 15 minutes! Enjoy it with a glass of white wine and crusty rustic bread.

Cooked spaghetti with green peas, minced garlic, red peper flakes, and grated parmesan cheese on a pale pink dinner plate.

You will find many versions of this dish, but they are all basically the same with the base players being spaghetti, olive oil, and garlic. I like a little heat and add red pepper flakes. But, my hands down favorite version is to add fresh green peas. That is what I like the most of all the additions and stir-ins. I love green peas so much in this dish, I always have them in the freezer “just in case”.

Ingredients

Spaghetti Aglio with Peas Ingredients. Clockwise from top right: olive oil, garlic, spaghetti, grated parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, and green peas.
  • Olive Oil
  • Garlic
  • Spaghetti
  • Grated Parmesan
  • Red Pepper Flakes
  • Peas
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Instructions

Step 1 - Fill a large pot with cold water, add salt, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add spaghetti and cook just before it is al dente.

A glass measuring cup containing pasta water saved from cooking the spaghetti.

Step 2 - Reserve ½ cup of pasta water from the pot and drain spaghetti.

Step 3 - Meanwhile, as pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook just until garlic and red pepper flakes are fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Do not let garlic brown.

Cooked spaghetti, peas, and the garlic-olive oil sauce is combined in a skillet.

Step 4 - Add drained spaghetti and toss to coat in spiced garlic oil. Add cooked green peas and reserved pasta water. Continue to cook over medium heat until all is combined and the water is absorbed by the pasta.

Step 5 - Sprinkle the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the pasta.

Stir well, plate immediately… and Enjoy!

My Top Tips

You must save a half cup of pasta water! This is the magic ingredient that makes the dish come together quickly. After adding the pasta water to the skillet in Step #4 you will continue to cook the spaghetti until it is al dente. The water will be both absorbed into the spaghetti and the olive oil and garlic sauce will be more flavorful.

Substitutions & Variations

Of course, everyone has their favorite additions. Some people like to add sun dried tomatoes, asparagus tips, diced and cooked pancetta or ham, crumbled bacon, their favorite fresh herbs, or crushed garlicky croutons. My husband says topping it with toasted walnuts is his favorite and I have to agree that is very tasty too.

But my favorite is… and always will be… green peas!

Related Recipes

  • Italian Meat Sauce
  • Green Chili Mac & Cheese
  • Chicken Curry Pocket Pies
Close up view ot cooked spaghetti with green peas, minced garlic, red peper flakes, and grated parmesan cheese on a pale pink dinner plate.

Spaghetti Aglio with Green Peas

4.89 from 9 votes
Encharted Cook | Jan Nunes
A delicious light dinner or late night snack, Spaghetti Aglio with Green Peas is made in just 15 minutes!
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Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 15 mins
Course Main Course, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 2
Calories 566 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 6 Ounces Uncooked Spaghetti
  • 3 Teaspoons Salt
  • 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 3 Cloves Garlic, Pressed or Minced Finely (2 about Teaspoons)
  • 2 Pinches Red Pepper Flakes
  • ½ Cup Cooked Green English Peas
  • 3 Tablespoons Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese

Instructions
 

  • Fill a large pot with cold water, add salt, and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Add spaghetti and cook just before it is al dente.
  • Reserve ½ cup of pasta water from pot and drain spaghetti.
  • Meanwhile, as pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook just until garlic and red pepper flakes are fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Do not let garlic brown.
  • Add drained spaghetti and toss to coat in spiced garlic oil. Add cooked green peas and reserved pasta water. Continue to cook over medium heat until all is combined and the water is absorbed by the pasta.
  • Add grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
  • Stir well and plate immediately… and Enjoy!

Video

Notes

♥  Always salt the cooking water for the spaghetti. Without salting the cooking water, the pasta will taste flat and require salt later in the cooking of this dish.
♥  Check the pasta package as to the cooking times for the particular brand you are using. Cook the pasta about 1 to 2 minutes less than the minimum time stated on the package.
♥  Frozen green peas are excellent in this dish and an economical alternative to fresh peas.
♥  Although, this dish is using mostly pantry and kitchen staples, the best flavor comes from using the best ingredients. If available, always use the best grade and best tasting olive oil. Also, if available, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is preferred for it’s intensely salty-nutty flavor, but parmesan cheese is good too.
VARIATIONS & SUBSTITUTIONS
♥  Substitutions for the green (English) peas: Fresh parsley or chives. Sugar Snap Peas - roll cut the sugar snap peas into ⅓” pieces. Cooked asparagus tips. Cooked and shelled edamame.
♥  Add any one of the following: 2 tablespoons finely diced cooked ham or pancetta. 2 tablespoons crumbled bacon.
♥  Garnish with garlic and butter flavored crushed croutons or toasted walnuts.

Nutrition Per Serving

Calories: 566kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 3618mg | Potassium: 296mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 365IU | Vitamin C: 15.9mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 1.8mg

All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.

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