Description
Light, garlicky spaghetti gets a boost from sautéed mushrooms — ready in about 15 minutes and perfect for a quick meatless supper.
Ingredients
Scale
- 250 g spaghetti
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 200 g button mushrooms, halved
- 100 g oyster mushrooms, torn into bite-size pieces
- 7–8 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes (adjust to taste)
- 1½ teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 2–3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a vigorous boil. Salt it well (it should taste like the sea) and cook the spaghetti until just al dente according to package timing. Before draining, scoop out and set aside about 1 cup of the starchy cooking water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the button and oyster mushrooms and sauté, turning occasionally, until they take on deep color and any released liquid has mostly evaporated (3–5 minutes). Remove mushrooms to a plate.
- Lower the heat to low–medium, add the remaining olive oil to the same pan, then add the chopped garlic. Gently cook the garlic until it just begins to color — don’t let it burn — then stir in the chilli flakes.
- Pour in about ¼–½ cup of the reserved pasta water, add a pinch of salt, and simmer for 1–2 minutes until the liquid reduces slightly and begins to emulsify with the oil, forming a glossy sauce.
- Return the mushrooms to the pan, add the drained spaghetti, and toss vigorously to coat. Add more reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time if you need to loosen the sauce; the starch helps bind oil and water into a silky coating.
- Stir through the chopped parsley, plate the pasta, then finish with the grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Notes & pro tips
- Salt the pasta water generously. This is your primary seasoning — don’t be shy.
- Reserve pasta water. That starchy splash is essential for a silky emulsion.
- Cook mushrooms hot. High heat encourages browning instead of steaming; avoid overcrowding the pan.
- Mind the garlic. Add it later and keep the heat moderate so it flavors without turning bitter.
- Timing trick: Start mushrooms first so the pan is ready when pasta finishes — everything comes together hot and perfectly textured.
- Variations: Swap mushrooms for diced bacon or prawns for a non-vegetarian twist (see bacon or shrimp aglio olio versions).
- Serving ideas: Add a squeeze of lemon or a few toasted breadcrumbs for crunch and brightness.
Nutrition
- Calories: 351kcal
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 108mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 51g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 13g
- Cholesterol: 4mg