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This Garlic Chilli Oil Spaghetti is one of those recipes that feels indulgent but comes together effortlessly. Silky pasta is tossed in a creamy, savoury sauce infused with garlic, chilli oil, soy sauce, and a hint of sweetness for balance. It’s bold, comforting, and perfect for when you want something cozy yet packed with flavour in under 30 minutes.

This is the kind of pasta you make once and keep coming back to simple ingredients, big flavour, and easily adjustable to your spice tolerance.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ready in under 30 minutes
• Creamy, spicy, and garlicky with minimal effort
• Easily adjustable spice level
• Perfect for weeknight dinners
• Works with spaghetti or linguine

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4–5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1–2 tsp chilli crisp oil (adjust to taste)
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 200 ml heavy cream
• 1–2 tsp lemon juice
• 200 g spaghetti or linguine, boiled
• Grated Parmesan, to taste
• 1–2 tsp chilli oil (for finishing, optional)
• Chopped coriander, for garnish

Instructions

Step 1: Cook the pasta

• Cook the spaghetti or linguine in well-salted boiling water until al dente.
• Reserve about ½ cup pasta water, then drain and set the pasta aside.

Step 2: Build the garlic chilli base

• Heat olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
• Add sliced garlic and cook gently until fragrant and lightly golden do not let it burn.
• Add chilli crisp oil and butter, stirring until the butter melts and the oil is infused.

Step 3: Make the sauce

• Stir in soy sauce, honey, and tomato paste. Cook for 30–40 seconds to remove the raw taste from the tomato paste.
• Lower the heat and add the heavy cream, stirring continuously until smooth.
• Add lemon juice and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Step 4: Combine pasta and sauce

• Add the cooked pasta directly into the sauce.
• Toss gently to coat, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce feels too thick.
• Let everything simmer together for 1–2 minutes so the pasta absorbs the flavours.

Step 5: Finish and serve

• Turn off the heat and add grated Parmesan, mixing until creamy.
• Drizzle with extra chilli oil if you like more heat.
• Garnish with chopped coriander and more Parmesan before serving.

Tips & Variations

• Use chilli crisp for texture or smooth chilli oil for a cleaner sauce.
• Add mushrooms, shrimp, or grilled chicken for extra protein.
• Swap honey for brown sugar if needed.
• Finish with parsley instead of coriander if preferred.

If you’re more of a visual learner, here is how I make it: