Angel Hair Pasta Recipe

posted by Chef Ani on Aug 7, 2019 (last updated Apr 5, 2024)

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Angel Hair Pasta with fresh tomatoes and basil served on a white plate

Easy, easy, and did I mention easy? This is such a quick, easy, and delicious angel hair pasta recipe, but be not fooled into thinking that means an ordinary tasting dish. No, this is a world-class, restaurant-worthy, fresh pasta dish that defines the word gourmet. It is probably my mom’s all-time favorite recipe. It is best when made with farm-fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, lots of garlic, and good quality olive oil. This recipe can be whipped up in just a few minutes and is one of those gourmet pasta dishes that will come in handy when you need something quick and easy to impress family or guests for dinner. It is an amazing dish. It is a staple in our home.

Today I am using capellini pasta, a favorite summer pasta around our house. Capellini (capelli d’angelo) pasta is also called angel hair pasta. I wonder who came up with that name. The fact is, we don’t know, but we know that it most likely came from Italy. References are made to angel hair pasta all the way back in the 17th century, so it has been around for a while.

The fresh ingredients used in this pasta dish speak for themselves. Fresh vine-ripened tomatoes, basil straight out of the garden, fresh garlic, and a good quality first-pressed olive oil, tossed with capellini. Can it get any better? According to my mom, apparently not.

Reasons to Love this Angel Hair Pasta Recipe:

quick and easy to make
fresh ingredients
gourmet taste
beautiful
perfect for summer

Ingredients:

capellini pasta
olive oil
fresh garlic
ripe fresh tomatoes
fresh basil
fresh parsley (optional)
red crushed pepper flakes
salt

Other Pasta Dishes You May like:

Health Benefits:

Tomato:

Tomatoes are one of those ingredients you never imagine living without, and so glad we don’t have to. Do you know that there was a time when they believed tomatoes to be poisonous? Gone would be pizza, pasta, the fresh tomato sandwich, and the list goes on and on.
Tomatoes have a number of valuable health benefits, such as:

anti-inflammatory properties
packed full of antioxidants
provides vitamins, especially vitamin C, A, K, and potassium

Garlic:

Another superfood that has many health benefits. We associate garlic with delicious cooking, but as I understand it, in the past, most of the use was for medicinal use, as it has so many medicinal properties.

boosts the immune system
lowers cholesterol
improve blood pressure
rich in antioxidants
antibiotic properties
may prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

Basil:

Basil is one of those God-given herbs that makes food taste amazing, but its wonderful qualities do not stop there. It also has significant health benefits.

contains vitamins and minerals
antioxidants
benefits digestion
anti-inflammatory
anti-stress may help with depression

How to Make Angel Hair Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes, Garlic, and Basil:

Step 1:

Bring plenty of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Salt generously. Cook pasta according to the package suggestion (usually 2-3 minutes). Stir initially to make sure the pasta does not stick together. Drain and set aside.
If you like your pasta al dente, rinse in cool water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

Step 2:

In a large skillet, sauté garlic and crushed red pepper in the olive oil for a couple of minutes while stirring.
Add the chopped fresh tomatoes and salt. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes.
Next, add the basil and parsley. Stir to combine.

Step 3:

Add the cooked capellini pasta. Toss with the sauce. It may be helpful to use tongs to incorporate the pasta and the sauce. Serve Immediately.

Helpful Tools and Equipment:

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on the link and purchase something, I earn a small commission and it doesn’t cost you any more.

Large Skillet or shallow Sauce Pan (5-quart): I have a very large (5-quart) Le Creuset skillet, perfect for pasta dishes. I love this pan and use it for all my one-pot pasta dishes as well as this one. I could not find the exact pan on Amazon, but here is a suggestion if you are looking for a large one-pot pasta pan.

Tongs: A useful tool for tossing the pasta with the sauce.

How much salt should I add to the pasta water?

Salt generously; this will give a nice flavor to the pasta. In culinary school, my instruction used to say; the pasta water should taste like the ocean. He would then go around and taste the water to make sure it was salty enough.

What Pasta Shape Should I Choose?

I used to think that pasta was pasta and the shape did not matter that much, but I have come to realize that pasta shape has a lot to do with the success of the dish; the ratio between sauce and pasta, the thickness of the pasta, the chew, how the shape stores the sauce, all matters. But at the end of the day, your preference is the most important indicator; therefore, feel free to experiment with different shapes and sauces. I happen to love bow-tie pasta, mom loves capellini, my sister prefers the macaroni, and dad is definitely a lasagna type.

How to Make this Angel Hair Pasta Recipe Allergy-Friendly or Healthier:

Gluten-free: You can make this dish with Jovial’s brown rice capellini pasta.
Healthier: Substitute the capellini pasta for zucchini noodles, brown rice pasta (Jovial), or whole wheat pasta.
Oil-free: Use vegetable broth to soften the garlic; add a can of green olives (minced) to give it that extra flavor.
Nut-free: This recipe is naturally nut-free.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve this dish with Vegan Parmesan.
Mince fresh basil to sprinkle on top.

CAN I MAKE THIS Tomato, Garlic, and Basil Pasta dish AHEAD OF TIME?

This is a pasta dish that is absolutely better when served fresh. It takes only a few minutes to pull together.

HOW CAN I MAKE THIS FRESH TOMATO, GARLIC, AND BASIL PASTA DISH SPICIER?

Yes, add more crushed red pepper.

What Olive Oil Should I Use?

Not all olive oil is the same. Invest in a good quality olive oil. Make sure it is an Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which means it is made from cold-pressed olives, with no heat involved and no processed oil. It is usually more expensive, but it is well worth it as it contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties; besides, it has a really nice flavor.