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Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Fresh Tomatoes

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Fresh Tomatoes

Italy’s perfect pasta—cheap, easy, essentially olive oil and pasta—gets an added flavor boost from tomatoes and basil.

By Rose HattabaughDecember 7, 2021

  • Makes
    6 servings
  • Cook Time
    25 minutes
  • Rating

Classic Italian pasta aglio e olio, or pasta with garlic and oil, is made with those ingredients and little else. This version gets an infusion of bright color and flavor from fresh tomatoes and chopped basil (or parsley). We boil the pasta until just shy of al dente, then reserve about ¾ cup of the cooking water and drain. The noodles will reach al dente when returned to the pot and cooked with half of the wilted tomatoes and some of the cooking water. This technique allows the pasta to absorb the flavors of the sauce and become better integrated with it. The remainder of the tomatoes is piled on top of the pasta just before serving for a bright burst of fresh flavor and color.

Tip

Don’t use underripe tomatoes. Plump, sweet, full-flavored tomatoes are key. In non-summer months, look for cocktail tomatoes (sometimes sold as Campari tomatoes), as they’re dependably good year-round.

Ingredients
  • 1

    pound spaghetti

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • ⅓

    cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 4

    medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced

  • 1

    Fresno OR jalapeño chili, stemmed, seeded and chopped

  • 1

    pound ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped

  • ½

    cup chopped fresh basil OR flat-leaf parsley

  • 2

    ounces finely grated Parmesan OR pecorino Romano cheese (1 cup)

Step 1

In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Stir in the pasta and 1 tablespoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until just shy of al dente. Reserve about ¾ cup of the cooking water, then drain in a colander.

Step 2

In the same pot over medium-low, combine the oil, garlic and chili. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is light golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and stir to combine. Transfer half of the tomatoes to a small bowl and set aside.

Step 3

To the pot, add the cooked spaghetti, ½ cup reserved pasta water and ½ teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Cook, tossing, until the pasta is al dente, 1 to 2 minutes; add more reserved water as needed so the pasta is lightly sauced.

Off heat, toss in the basil and half of the cheese, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and spoon the reserved tomatoes on top. Serve with the remaining cheese on the side.

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