Lemon Butter Angel Hair Pasta
When you want pasta in under 10 minutes, angel hair is your answer. It cooks in 3 minutes and here it gets tossed in a bright lemon-butter-garlic sauce with a shower of parmesan. Simple, elegant, and the kind of dinner that makes you feel like a real cook.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Angel hair pasta cooks in just 3 minutes
- Bright lemon-butter sauce in the time pasta boils
- 5 ingredients + pasta = complete dinner
- Light, elegant, and endlessly satisfying
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Lemon Butter Angel Hair Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 oz angel hair pasta
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- Fresh parsley or basil
- Reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Cook angel hair in salted boiling water for 3 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
- While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cook 1 minute.
- Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup pasta water. Swirl to combine.
- Add drained pasta directly to the skillet. Toss with tongs, adding more pasta water as needed for a silky sauce.
- Remove from heat. Add parmesan and toss. Serve with fresh herbs and extra parmesan.
Recipe Tips
- Angel hair overcooks in seconds — set a timer and drain at 3 minutes exactly.
- Lemon ZEST and juice both matter. The zest has the concentrated citrus oil flavor.
- Pasta water is the emulsifier. Add it gradually for the silkiest sauce.
- Add seared shrimp or grilled chicken to make it a protein-forward meal.
Calories: 440 | Protein: 16g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 52g
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Nutritional information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients used.
