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Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Fresh Tomatoes
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.
6
Servings
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.
25 minutes
Ingredients
-
1
pound spaghetti
-
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Directions
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01In 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.
Reviews
August 17, 2026
Perfect for summer
We've made this twice so far this summer with the bounty of fresh tomatoes on hand. Simple enough recipe, but always satisfying. To please the kids I grated the tomatoes instead of chopping, and next time will drop the chile.
September 30, 2025
Great Use of Fresh Tomatoes
The recipe was delicious and easy to put together. It worked very well with fresh pasta but required a bit of a two step with another pot to handle the “cooked” part of the sauce since the fresh pasta cooks so quickly and is best handled with a spider skimmerrather than colander.
August 3, 2025
A classic and just delicious
I might use more fresh tomatoes is all and I season my pasta water more heavily so the pasta is more seasoned, but this is a great use for my garden tomatoes and basil. I added some red pepper flakes to the oil for additional heat, but really enjoyed the fresh jalapeño in there. I had not had that in the past renditions. Used a combo of Reggiano and pecorino for cheeses. Will make again.
August 16, 2026
Good Use of Fresh Garden Cherry Tomatoes
This was very good. As others have mentioned, I added some red chili flakes while sautéeing the garlic in the oil. I was also generous with the Parmesan cheese. I would make this again. . . and it's quick.
I do wish that you would include the nutritional stats for all your recipes.
July 25, 2024
It’s annoying to be expected to write a review, I don’t mind giving stars
I said above what I wanted to say
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