Raise your hand if you’ve ever been scrolling TikTok late at night and come across a beautiful food video — a dish so delicious looking, you think, “I must eat that now!” So it was for us with Jeremy Scheck’s aglio e olio TikTok. Well, us and everybody. Luckily, the trendy dish is very easy (midnight easy!) to make.

Essentially, what we’re doing here is infusing extra virgin olive oil with a handful of garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. In the oil, the garlic lightly caramelizes, so it’s soft and subtly sweet, and the chile flakes bloom, suffusing the whole dish with a pleasant heat. The olive oil itself is a big part of the equation, so in the test kitchen, we always use the best one we’ve got on hand — if you’re picking some up, now’s the time to go for the fancy stuff. Think deep green, buttery, and fruity.

Aside from snacking in the moonlight, aglio e olio is perfect for those weeknights when you don’t feel like cooking, but you also don’t feel like going out, and you’re craving something soulful and satisfying. If you’re feeling extra luxe, shave some Parm over the top and open a bottle of red — something bold enough to take on all that garlicky warmth.

Servings: 2

Ingredients

Kosher salt, to taste

8 oz spaghetti

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided

5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tsp Gelson’s crushed red pepper

¼ cup minced fresh parsley, plus more for serving

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season generously with kosher salt, add the spaghetti, and cook for 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large, cold skillet, add half the extra virgin olive oil and all of the garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is a light golden brown, about 3 minutes.

3. Add the remaining extra virgin olive oil to the skillet. Using tongs, transfer the pasta directly to the skillet, reserving the pasta water.

4. Add about ⅓ cup pasta water to the skillet, and toss the mixture together. Continue to cook the pasta in the skillet until al dente, 4 to 5 minutes, adding a few spoonfuls of pasta water if the pan looks dry.

5. Stir in the fresh parsley. Garnish with sauce from the skillet and additional parsley. Serve immediately.

Recipe source: Scheck Eats

TikTok video: Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

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