Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente according to package instructions.

Step 2

While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic to the pan and sauté until golden and fragrant, being careful not to burn it. Stir in the red pepper flakes and cook for another minute.

Step 3

Combine Noodles and Sauce: Add the cooked noodles to the skillet with the vegetables. Pour in the flavoring packet from the buldak ramen (or adjust according to taste since it can be spicy) along with the soy sauce and sesame oil. Toss well to ensure everything is evenly coated. If the mixture seems dry, add a little of the reserved noodle water.

Step 4

Drain the spaghetti, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water.

Step 5

Add the drained spaghetti to the pan with the garlic and oil. Toss to coat the pasta, adding reserved pasta water as needed to reach the desired consistency. Stir in the chopped parsley and season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Step 6

Serve immediately, topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired.