Instant pot spaghetti Aglio E Olio

Instant pot spaghetti Aglio E Olio (olive oil and garlic) is the perfect weeknight meal. Super tasty and ready in just over 15 minutes.

If your stuck for something to cook and don't have much time, this is the perfect meal for you. My family loved it and we even made it using vegetarian parmesan so that we could all enjoy it.

How do I make spaghetti aglio e olio?

This is such a simple meal to make and you can have it on the table in around 20 minutes start to finish.

First set your instant pot to sauté and then add the oil and butter. Once the butter has melted, add the garlic and gently fry until golden brown. This should take around 1 minute (be careful not to over brown the garlic).

Add the red pepper flakes and season to taste - not too much salt as there is some in the butter and cheese. Add around ¾ of the parsley and stir together (save the rest to garnish).

Now add the boiling water and snap the spaghetti in half before layering it into the pot (see the video for method). Push the spaghetti down into the liquid, but do not stir.

Put the lid on the instant pot and set to high pressure for 4 minutes (it should take around 5 minutes to come to pressure). When the time is up, leave under pressure for another 4 minutes and then do a quick release.

Once the pin has dropped remove the lid and tease apart any spaghetti that may be stuck together using 2 forks. Now add around ¾ of the cheese - save the rest to garnish. Put the lid back on loosely until the cheese has melted (this should take around 1 minute).

Remove the lid and stir everything together. Serve garnished with the remaining parsley and cheese.

There you have it, a perfect easy and tasty meal, ready in less time than it takes to get a take away.

What are the ingredients for spaghetti aglio e olio?

You should have most of this short list of ingredients already in your store cupboard and fridge. If not, they are all easily sourced at most good stores.

1. Olive oil.
2. Butter (I used salted).
3. Garlic.
4. Red pepper flakes (chili flakes).
5. Salt and pepper.
6. Boiling water (does this really count as an ingredient!).
7. Spaghetti (dried).
8. Fresh parsley.
9. Parmesan (grated).

One of the most basic recipes I have ever made, but full of garlicky taste.

ARE THERE ANY SUBSTITUTIONS POSSIBLE IF I DON'T HAVE ALL THE INGREDIENTS?

Although there aren't many ingredients to swap, it is possible to change some of the basic items in the recipe.

• I used extra virgin olive oil, but you could use virgin olive oil or rapeseed oil (canola) instead.
• Butter is not necessary and can be replaced with more oil.
• I used fresh garlic cloves, but garlic salt or granules will also work well. Use around 1 tbsp.
• I used fairly mild red pepper flakes to make the recipe family friendly, but you could use whatever strength you want or just leave them out.
• Spaghetti is the ideal pasta, but other pasta shapes would also work well.
• If you don't have fresh parsley, dried will also be fine. Use around 2 tsp.
• Parmesan adds a lovely taste, but you could use most types of cheese instead.

This really does make this a very flexible recipe.

For all of the above swaps, timings would remain the same.

What should I serve with spaghetti aglio e olio?

I served mine with broccoli, but you could use any leafy green vegetable or a nice big salad.

Can the recipe be made vegetarian or vegan?

By using vegetarian parmesan, the recipe can easily be made vegetarian. If you want to make it vegan, that is also possible by using more oil instead of the butter (just make sure there is no egg in the brand of dry spaghetti you use).

Is it possible to scale this recipe up or down?

The simple answer is yes. You could half the recipe in all size pots and it would be easy to double the recipe in all pots 6l (6qt) and above. You could even triple the recipe in the 10l (10qt) pot to serve up to 18 people!

If you have any leftovers, instant pot aglio e olio is really tasty when reheated. It should keep well for up to 5 days in the fridge and will freeze well for around 6 months. I usually reheat in a frying pan, but you could also use a microwave or the instant pot on sauté mode.

For some interesting information about spaghetti aglio e olio, please click here.

I hope you have enjoyed my recipe for instant pot aglio e olio. Please check out some of my other instant pot recipes below:

• Instant pot chicken ziti
• Instant pot lemon chicken pasta
• Quick easy instant pot spaghetti
• Instant pot macaroni and cheese
• Instant pot spaghetti Bolognese

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please leave them in the box below and I would be delighted to help.