Gluten-Free Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil (Spaghetti Aglio e Olio)
/Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (spaghetti with garlic and olive oil) is a surprisingly flavorful Italian dish made of just a few common, inexpensive ingredients that when combined result in a dish that is bursting with flavor.
Photo (unmodified) by Lablascovegmenu Creative Commons License 2.0 Click links for attribution and license
This traditional Italian dish is an example of Cucina Povera cuisine. Cucina Povera translates to “poor kitchen” and was the cooking of the rural peasant class. In olden days when Italy was primarily a rural country, Italian peasants made dishes from ingredients they could grow in their gardens (tomatoes, greens, beans, garlic, herbs, lemons), process from their livestock (milk, cheese, eggs) or gather from the countryside (mushrooms, berries, nuts). The result was flavorful dishes made with just a few simple ingredients.
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is a delicious example of that cuisine, consisting of spaghetti tossed in olive oil with lots of sauteed garlic. The pasta is further seasoned with red pepper flakes and lemon juice and finished with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
Photo (unmodified) by Marco Verch Creative Commons License 2.0 Click links for attribution and license
Our modified recipe includes a serving of vegetables by adding crunchy Italian green beans for color and texture. Italian green beans are a flat wide green bean. Cut Italian green beans are available year-round in the freezer department of well-stocked grocers. If you can’t find the flat and wide frozen Italian green beans at your grocer then substitute regular frozen cut green beans which will be equally delicious.
Photo (unmodified) by Silvia Alba Creative Commons License 2.0 Click links for attribution and license
Choose a corn and rice blend gluten-free spaghetti (such as Barilla® gluten-free spaghetti) instead of 100% rice spaghetti. The corn will keep the spaghetti from getting gummy as it cooks.
Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil (Spaghetti Aglio e Olio)
This traditional Italian dish consists of spaghetti tossed in olive oil with lots of sautéed garlic. The pasta is further seasoned with red pepper flakes and lemon juice and finished with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Crunchy Italian green beans add a serving of vegetables to this classic Italian pasta dish.
For a printable recipe link page down to the end of the page
Ingredients
10 to 12 oz frozen cut Italian green beans (substitute regular frozen cut green beans)
2 quarts of water (8 cups)
2 tsp salt
6 large or 8 medium garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thinly into small slivers
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp hot red pepper flakes
12 oz gluten-free corn and rice blend spaghetti, broken in half *
2 TBSP lemon juice (about one lemon)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese **
2 tsp dried parsley flakes
* Choose a corn and rice blend gluten-free spaghetti instead of 100% rice spaghetti. The corn will keep the spaghetti from getting gummy as it cooks.
** If using pre-grated Parmesan cheese check the label to determine whether any gluten-containing fillers or anti-caking agents (such as wheat flour) have been added. If you extremely sensitive to products that may be cross-contaminated with gluten then buy bulk Parmesan cheese and grate it yourself.
Cookware and Utensils
4-quart saucepan with lid (substitute 6-quart stockpot with lid)
12-inch skillet with lid
Small bowl
Citrus juicer
Shredder/grater (if not using pre-grated cheese)
Colander
Instructions
Transfer the frozen green beans to the countertop to thaw while you are preparing the spaghetti.
Add 2 quarts (8 cups) of water and 2 teaspoons of salt to the saucepan or stockpot. Stir to dissolve the salt into the water. Cover the saucepan or stockpot with its lid. Heat the water on medium high heat until the water boils, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
Peel the garlic cloves and slice them thinly into small slivers of garlic.
Add the olive oil, the red pepper flakes, and the garlic to the skillet. Stir to coat the garlic with the oil. Sauté the garlic on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is soft. When the garlic is soft turn off the heat and cover the skillet with its lid.
Break the spaghetti in half. When the salted water is boiling add the spaghetti in a criss-cross pattern to the boiling water. Use a fork to separate the spaghetti strands, stirring occasionally until the spaghetti has softened and does not stick to itself. Adjust the heat so that the spaghetti simmers gently. Simmer the spaghetti, uncovered, until it is cooked to your taste.
While the spaghetti is cooking juice the lemon. Set aside the lemon juice.
Grate the Parmesan cheese (if not using pre-grated cheese).
When the spaghetti is cooked to your taste drain it in the colander. Rinse the spaghetti with hot water and allow it to drain thoroughly.
While the spaghetti is draining add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and the parsley flakes to the oil and garlic mixture in the skillet. Stir to combine.
Add the thawed green beans to the oil and garlic mixture. Stir to combine. Cover the skillet with its lid. Heat the green beans on medium heat until they are tender crisp. Stir occasionally. Do not overcook.
When the green beans are tender crisp add the drained pasta to the skillet. Toss the pasta with the garlic and green beans. Heat for a few minutes to warm the pasta. Stir occasionally.
When the pasta has been heated thoroughly sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on the pasta. Toss the pasta again to distribute the cheese. Serve immediately.
For a printable recipe link page down to the end of the page
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Gluten-Free Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil (Spaghetti Aglio e Olio)
Ingredients
- 10 to 12 oz frozen cut Italian green beans (substitute regular frozen cut green beans)
- 2 quarts of water (8 cups)
- 2 tsp salt
- 6 large or 8 medium garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thinly into small slivers
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 tsp hot red pepper flakes
- 12 oz gluten-free corn and rice blend spaghetti, broken in half *
- 2 TBSP lemon juice (about one lemon)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp dried parsley flakes
- Choose a corn and rice blend gluten-free spaghetti instead of 100% rice spaghetti. The corn will keep the spaghetti from getting gummy as it cooks.
- ** If using pre-grated Parmesan cheese check the label to determine whether any gluten-containing fillers or anti-caking agents (such as wheat flour) have been added. If you are extremely sensitive to products that may be cross-contaminated with gluten then buy bulk Parmesan cheese and grate it yourself.
- 4-quart saucepan with lid (substitute 6-quart stockpot with lid)
- 12-inch skillet with lid
- Small bowl
- Citrus juicer
- Shredder/grater (if not using pre-grated cheese)
- Colander
Instructions
- Transfer the frozen green beans to the countertop to thaw while you are preparing the spaghetti.
- Add 2 quarts (8 cups) of water and 2 teaspoons of salt to the saucepan or stockpot. Stir to dissolve the salt into the water. Cover the saucepan or stockpot with its lid. Heat the water on medium high heat until the water boils, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
- Peel the garlic cloves and slice them thinly into small slivers of garlic.
- Add the olive oil, the red pepper flakes, and the garlic to the skillet. Stir to coat the garlic with the oil. Sauté the garlic on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is soft. When the garlic is soft turn off the heat and cover the skillet with its lid.
- Break the spaghetti in half. When the salted water is boiling add the spaghetti in a criss-cross pattern to the boiling water. Use a fork to separate the spaghetti strands, stirring occasionally until the spaghetti has softened and does not stick to itself. Adjust the heat so that the spaghetti simmers gently. Simmer the spaghetti, uncovered, until it is cooked to your taste.
- While the spaghetti is cooking juice the lemon. Set aside the lemon juice.
- Grate the Parmesan cheese (if not using pre-grated cheese).
- When the spaghetti is cooked to your taste drain it in the colander. Rinse the spaghetti with hot water and allow it to drain thoroughly.
- While the spaghetti is draining add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and the parsley flakes to the oil and garlic mixture in the skillet. Stir to combine.
- Add the thawed green beans to the oil and garlic mixture. Stir to combine. Cover the skillet with its lid. Heat the green beans on medium heat until they are tender crisp. Stir occasionally. Do not overcook.
- When the green beans are tender crisp add the drained pasta to the skillet. Toss the pasta with the garlic and green beans. Heat for a few minutes to warm the pasta. Stir occasionally.
- When the pasta has been heated thoroughly sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on the pasta. Toss the pasta again to distribute the cheese. Serve immediately.