American Airlines Pantry Pasta
A 15-minute pantry rescue pasta with garlic-olive oil sauce, featuring minimal ingredients and maximum comfort—perfect for a quick meal after a budget flight. This American-inspired pasta recipe, ready in about 20 minutes, pairs spaghetti, olive oil, garlic for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 380 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 8 oz spaghetti
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp parsley
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Boil 8 oz spaghetti in salted water (1 tbsp salt) for 8-10 minutes until al dente; drain and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; add 4 minced garlic cloves and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, sautéing 1 minute until fragrant and golden.
- Step 3: Add drained spaghetti to skillet with 1/2 cup reserved pasta water and 1 tsp salt; toss vigorously for 1 minute until sauce thickens and coats pasta.
- Step 4: Remove from heat, stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese and 2 tbsp chopped parsley until cheese melts and sauce becomes glossy.
- Step 5: Serve immediately with extra Parmesan and parsley for garnish.
