Garlic Pasta
December 9, 2025
Grocery List
Produce
- Garlic (6–8 cloves)
- Fresh parsley (small bunch)
- Lemon (1, optional)
Pantry
- Spaghetti or linguine (250g)
- Olive oil
- Unsalted butter
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Grated Parmesan or Pecorino
Spices
- Chilli flakes (optional)
Proteins
- None (vegetarian)
Other
- Pasta cooking water (reserved)
Utensils List
- Large pot
- Large frying pan or sauté pan
- Knife and chopping board
- Tongs or pasta fork
- Microplane grater (optional)
Ingredients (2 servings)
- 250g spaghetti or linguine
- 6–8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- Small handful parsley, finely chopped
- 20–30g Parmesan, grated
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- 60–120 ml pasta water (as needed)
- Optional: zest of ½ lemon
Meal Prep Steps
- Slice the garlic very thinly.
- Chop the parsley.
- Grate the cheese.
- Zest the lemon if using.
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
Cooking Instructions
Cook the pasta:
Add spaghetti to the boiling salted water and cook until just shy of al dente. Reserve a mug of pasta water.Toast the garlic:
Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook gently until lightly golden—avoid burning. Add chilli flakes if using.Build the sauce:
Add butter and swirl until melted. Add a splash of pasta water to emulsify.Combine:
Add the drained pasta directly into the garlic oil mixture. Toss vigorously, adding small amounts of pasta water until it forms a glossy sauce that coats the noodles.Finish:
Add parsley, lemon zest (optional), black pepper, and Parmesan. Toss again. Taste and adjust salt.Serve immediately with extra cheese and pepper on top.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Reheating: Reheat gently in a frying pan with a splash of water or olive oil to loosen the sauce. Avoid microwaving for too long as it dries out.
- Freezer: Not recommended; texture will suffer.