Spaghetti Aglio with Green Peas is a delicious light dinner or late-night snack you can make in only 15 minutes!
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.
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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”.
Oh... and... one last thing... This is a perfect dish to enjoy with a glass of white wine and crusty rustic bread!
So, let's cook!
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Ingredient Notes
Although, this dish uses mostly pantry and kitchen staples, the best flavor comes from always using the best ingredients!
- Olive Oil - Always use the best-grade and best-tasting olive oil you can afford. For an extra indulgent treat, consider using Manni Oil of Life, an organic extra virgin olive oil.
- Garlic - Garlic is a significant flavor component in this dish. I quickly press 1 or 2 cloves. But you can finely chop it too.
- Spaghetti - I like rigati, "with ridges", spaghetti, which lets the olive oil sauce cling to the spaghetti more easily. But you can use any type of spaghetti.
- Grated Parmesan - Use a full-flavored parmesan. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is preferred for its intensely salty-nutty flavor, but parmesan cheese is good too. Grating your own is an option, but there are very good already grated options like from Il Villagio.
- Red Pepper Flakes - Red pepper flakes adds a touch of heat.
- Peas - I love green peas in this dish. They add a little sweetness that plays off the savory garlic and the salty parmesan. Frozen peas are excellent in this dish and an economical alternative to fresh peas.
Not Shown:
- Salt - I use plain regular salt for the spaghetti cooking water.
- Black Pepper - (Optional) If you love the flowery spiciness of black pepper, go ahead add some.
How to Make Spaghetti Aglio with Green Peas
Cook Spaghetti. 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.
Save Cooking Water. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water from pot and drain spaghetti.
Make Olive Oil Sauce. 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 the garlic brown.
Combine Spaghetti and Sauce. 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 Cheese and Serve. Add grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Stir well, plate immediately… and Enjoy!
My Top Tips
♡ 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 for about 1 to 2 minutes less than the minimum time stated on the package.
♡ 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 absorbed into the spaghetti and the olive oil and garlic sauce will be more flavorful.
Substitutions & Variations
Additions: 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 it is very tasty, too.
But my favorite is… and always will be… green peas!
Pasta Substitutions: Instead of spaghetti, you can substitute any of the following long kinds of pasta (pasta lunga) that I've listed in order of thickness and from rounder to flatter:
- Bucatini - This pasta is thicker than spaghetti and has a hole running through the middle of the pasta.
- Linguine - Linguine is a long, narrow, and slightly flattened pasta that is very similar to spaghetti.
- Fettuccine - This pasta is a long, narrow flat ribbon.
- Tagliatelle - Wider than fettuccine, this flat ribbon pasta is also a good choice.
Other pasta choices you could use are butterfly-shaped farfalle, corkscrew-shaped fusilli or rotini, and short tubes of ditalini. The idea is to use a quick cooking pasta.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Refrigeration: You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat leftover Spaghetti Aglio in the microwave or on the stove in a frying pan by adding a little water, heating it gently, and stirring occasionally.
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📖 Recipe
Spaghetti Aglio with Green Peas
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Ingredients
- Cold Water
- 3 Teaspoons Salt
- 6 Ounces Uncooked Spaghetti
- 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
- Cook Spaghetti. 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.3 Teaspoons Salt, 6 Ounces Uncooked Spaghetti, Cold Water
- Save Cooking Water. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water from pot and drain spaghetti.
- Make Olive Oil Sauce. 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.3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 3 Cloves Garlic, 2 Pinches Red Pepper Flakes
- Combine Spaghetti and Sauce. 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.½ Cup Cooked Green English Peas
- Add Cheese and Serve. Add grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Stir well, plate immediately… and Enjoy!3 Tablespoons Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
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Nutrition
Per 1 serving. All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.
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