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 goes well with grilled salmon, roasted chicken, grilled steak, and roasted pork.
Top the thin strands with chopped fresh herbs and freshly grated Parmesan Cheese for the best flavor. This is one of our favorite side dishes.
Try this easy angel hair pasta recipe that will have dinner on the table in no time. With simple ingredients and step-by-step instructions, you’ll have a tasty meal ready in minutes.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Pasta: Angel hair, capellini, spaghetti, thin spaghetti, penne, campanelle, macaroni, and rotini.
- Butter: Unsalted or salted
- Fresh herbs: Use fresh basil, parsley, thyme, and rosemary. Remember, though, that some herbs are better used dried, like oregano and marjoram.
- Parmesan cheese: 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.
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 is almost done, 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 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.
Preparation Tips and Storage
- Boil the angel hair pasta over medium heat according to package instructions until slightly al dente, which means somewhat firm to the bite.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water to moisten it if it becomes too dry.
- Add crushed red pepper to taste if you like everything with a little kick.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave at reduced power.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this pasta with a simple garden salad or arugula salad. It is also delicious paired with Italian wedding soup and French onion soup. Or keep it simple and serve it with baguettes and sweet cream butter.
Recipe Variations
- Add vegetables: fresh cherry or grape tomatoes, steamed broccoli, sauteed asparagus, or sauteed garlic mushrooms.
- Add meat: crisp cooked bacon, grilled chicken, prosciutto, or sauteed shrimp.
- Add seasonings: lemon pepper, orange pepper, Cajun or creole seasoning.
More Pasta Recipes
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.
- Add crushed red pepper to taste if you like everything with a little kick.
- 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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Stephanie
Super delicious Angel Hair Pasta dish! The garlic and herbs are the perfect amount of flavoring for this. p.s. Thanks for the tip on reserving some of the pasta water!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome!
Julia
Can oil be substituted for the butter.? Not so much a butter lover
Beth Pierce
Yes, it can!
Catrina
One of my favorites! So easy, so yummy… and the leftovers…. yup! This is my go to side, (or complete meal, lol) with a grocery store routtisserie chicken..
Beth Pierce
Thanks Catrina! So glad that you like it!
Kat
i have all the ingredients in my pantry! this is going to be my lunch for today. Thanks for the recipe. I hope i wont overcook the angel hair pasta
Beth Pierce
Thanks Kat! I sure hope you enjoyed it!
Elise
This combination sounds absolutely wonderful. Parmesan just makes everything better.
Beth Pierce
So true!
Veronika Sykorova
I haven’t had angel hair pasta in forever but anything with garlic and parmesan is instantly my favorite so I’m definitely making this tonight!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Enjoy!!
Elizabeth O
This is a favorite comforting pasta side dish. I’d put a lot of black pepper on it.
brianne
This was one of my go-to quick dishes when I was in college. it’s easy and quick to make.
Midwife360
Such a great recipe! Angel’s hair is one of my favorite kind of pasta.
Heather
I make this at least once a week for my kids. It’s one of their favorite dinners! They love the sauce even more than traditional pasta sauce!
Rosemary
The angel hair pasta recipe seems like it would be dry. What can be added for it to be more moist?
Beth Pierce
It is not dry but if you want a little more moisture try a little more butter and a touch of chicken broth
Marysa
I am a big garlic lover, and I love parm too. Sounds like a perfect and easy recipe – great for busy weeknights!
Nish
I make an aglio olio pasta similar to this one – with just the addition of broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes. This seems like a great option when I am out of veggies. Thanks for sharing!
Veronika Sykorova
Angle hair pasta is my favorite, especially if it involves cheese! Thanks for the recipe!
Steph S
Yum! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Alexis
I needed a quick lunch option for my kids this week. This dish was perfect, thank you for sharing your recipe.