A quick and easy Angel Hair Pasta recipe with fresh garlic, herbs, and grated Parmesan Cheese. This pasta comes together in less than fifteen minutes, and it goes well with grilled salmon, roasted chicken, grilled steak, and roasted pork. For the best flavor, top the thin strands with chopped fresh herbs and freshly grated Parmesan Cheese. This is one of our favorite side dishes.
How to make Angel Hair Pasta with Garlic
First, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the noodles and cook according to package directions. Angel hair pasta cooks very quickly, so don’t overcook it. Be sure to drain well.
When the pasta has about 2 minutes of cooking time left, melt the butter and heat the olive oil in a large skillet or pan. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute and stir constantly. Add the pasta and toss to coat with the sauce. Sprinkle the pasta with a couple of tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs like basil and parsley and about 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan Cheese. Then toss again to combine. Finally, season with salt, pepper, and, if desired, red pepper flakes to taste. For best results, serve promptly.
Recipe notes and helpful tips
- Boil the angel hair pasta over medium heat according to package instructions until slightly al dente, which means slightly firm to the bite.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water to moisten it if it becomes too dry.
- For a change of pace, top with fresh cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, steamed broccoli, or sautéed mushrooms, or fresh lemon or lemon juice.
- Use herbs like fresh basil, parsley, thyme, and rosemary. Keep in mind, though, that some herbs are better used dried, like oregano and marjoram.
- Other pasta can be substituted for angel hair, including but not limited to spaghetti, thin spaghetti, penne, campanelle, macaroni, and rotini.
- Use fresh garlic minced finely. It is so flavorful and aromatic but remember to cook it over medium-low heat, stirring constantly for just 1 minute. If garlic burns, it tastes bitter.
- If you like everything with a little kick of spice, add crushed red pepper to taste.
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese is worth every penny. It has a better texture, tastes better, and melts better than pre-grated Parmesan. Use a microplane or box grater to grate the cheese.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave at reduced power.
What is angel hair pasta?
Angel hair pasta resembles spaghetti, but it is much thinner. It cooks up very quickly and is great for light sauces like garlic butter and pesto. Or serve with fresh sautéed vegetables, olive oil, and parmesan cheese. I love to serve angel hair pasta with seared scallops or garlic butter shrimp.
More pasta dishes you will love!
Angel Hair Pasta with Garlic and Parmesan
Ingredients
- 12 ounces angel hair pasta or capellini pasta
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs like basil parsley, thyme, rosemary (see notes)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan Cheese
- salt and black pepper to taste
- chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Cook your pasta slightly al dente according to package directions and drain well.
- When the pasta has 2 minutes of cooking time left, melt the butter and heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Add the pasta and toss to coat with the butter and garlic.
- Sprinkle the pasta with the herbs and grated Parmesan Cheese. Toss again to combine. If the pasta becomes too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water at a time until desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. For best results, serve promptly.
Notes
- Boil the angel hair pasta over medium heat according to package instructions until slightly al dente, which means slightly firm to the bite.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water to moisten it if it becomes too dry.
- For a change of pace, top with fresh cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, steamed broccoli, or sautéed mushrooms.
- Use herbs like fresh basil, parsley, thyme, and rosemary. Keep in mind, though, that some herbs are better used dried, like oregano and marjoram.
- Other pasta can be substituted for angel hair, including but not limited to spaghetti, thin spaghetti, penne, campanelle, macaroni, and rotini.
- Use fresh garlic minced finely. It is so flavorful and aromatic but remember to cook it over medium-low heat, stirring constantly for just 1 minute. If garlic burns, it tastes bitter.
- If you like everything with a little kick of spice, add crushed red pepper to taste.
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese is worth every penny. It has a better texture, tastes better, and melts better than pre-grated Parmesan. Use a microplane or box grater to grate the cheese.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave at reduced power.
Nutrition
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Cinny
That looks perfect for our family. I love an easy but delicious pasta to make.
Brittney
Your photos already have my mouth watering. I always forget about angel hair pasta, but I love it when I do have it. Definitely going to need to make a trip to the grocery store now.
Sienna
So simple yet so delicious! This is the type of dish I could eat every day of the week (and since it’s quick to make I actually could schedule to do so!)
Julie Shahin
Ángel hair pasta is my favorite !! Yummmm! Thanks for this awesome recipe!
SONIA SEIVWRIGHT
I would have this dish with prawns or fish. I love the flavour of this dish. I can’t wait to try it. It’s easy to cook, and I bet it tastes delicious.
Barbie Ritzman
Simple yet delicious. I love this recipe and will be making it again this weekend. Adding some extra cheese and maybe some mushrooms.
MELANIE E
I really do love angel hair pasta but most stores don’t seem to sell it. I’ll have to order some in and then attempt this delicious recipe.
Patricia Chamberlain
Angel hair pasta is my favorite! This recipe was amazing. My whole family loved it!
Amber
This not only looks super yummy, but super easy as well. My family loves pasta dishes so I printed this recipe and can’t wait to give it a try.
Yolanda
This looks like a awesome receipe and there’s not alot of calories. I felt like eating this right off the page. I am going to give your receipe a try. I actually saw a few others I’m going to try on your website as well. Thanks for sharing.
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Yolanda! Enjoy!
Sangeetha
It was delicious! I love how simple and easy this recipe is. Perfect for a quick and satisfying weeknight dinner. The combination of garlic and Parmesan is always a winner in our home.
Ivan Carlo Jose
This is a super simple pasta dish to make that is extremely satisfying. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Nicole Bertrand
Such a simple recipe and yet so delicious!
Debbie
This looks amazing. My stomach is growling just looking at these angel hair pasta pictures. I can’t wait to give it a try! Thank you for sharing!
Ben
This was mazing! I mean, you really can’t go wrong with pasta and cheese.
Lisa
OK this sounds GREAT! And so simple to make too.