Pioneer Woman Angel Hair Pasta

Pioneer woman angel hair pasta is a quick, easy main dish tossed with garlic, olive oil, parmesan, basil and parsley, ready in around 10 minutes. So it's a solid go-to for weeknight dinners, light summer suppers or a simple side dish, since it comes together while the water boils.

Browning the butter until it turns golden is the step that makes or breaks this dish, because that nutty depth carries every bite. But if you skip it and just melt the butter, the sauce ends up flat and one-note.

The marinated grape tomatoes on top set this version apart, because that hit of red wine vinegar balances all the butter and oil. Then breaking the noodles in half means every strand gets coated evenly in the skillet.

Pioneer Woman Angel Hair Pasta

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Course: Main DishCuisine: American, ItalianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

3

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

5

minutes

Calories

517

kcal

Thin noodles boiled for barely two minutes, then stirred through a hot skillet until silky and coated with cheese and herbs.

Ingredients

• For the Pasta:
  

• Salt, plus more for serving
  

• 2 tbsp. butter
  

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
  

• 1 clove garlic, chopped
  

• 8 oz. angel hair pasta
  

• 3 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  

• 1 tbsp. chopped parsley, plus more for serving
  

• 1 tbsp. chopped basil, plus more for serving

• For the Marinated Tomatoes:
  

• 1 c. grape tomatoes, halved
  

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  

• 1/2 tsp. salt
  

• 1/8 tsp. crushed red chili flakes, optional
  

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
  

• 1 tsp. red wine vinegar

Directions

• Boil the water: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat, then season it generously with salt.
• Brown the butter: Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat until bubbly and light golden brown. Once browned, reduce the heat to low and add the olive oil and garlic. Then cook for 1 minute until fragrant before pulling the skillet off the heat.
• Cook the pasta: Break the angel hair pasta in half, drop it into the boiling water and cook for exactly 2 minutes. Before draining, scoop out 3/4 cup of pasta water and set it aside.
• Toss in the skillet: Once drained, add the pasta to the butter skillet over low heat, then pour in the reserved pasta water and stir until combined. After it coats the noodles, fold in the parmesan, parsley and basil before removing from the heat.
• Make the marinated tomatoes: Before starting the pasta, combine the halved grape tomatoes with garlic, salt, chili flakes, olive oil and red wine vinegar in a bowl. After 10 minutes of resting, spoon the tomatoes over the finished pasta along with extra herbs and cheese.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 10.25-inch cast iron skillet, Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, OXO 5-quart stainless steel colander, Parmigiano Reggiano wedges, aged 24 months. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use spaghetti instead of angel hair in this recipe?

You can swap in thin spaghetti, but bump the cook time up since those noodles need longer to soften. And regular spaghetti works too, though the wider strands won't pick up the brown butter as evenly.

How long does leftover angel hair pasta keep?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, since angel hair dries out faster than thicker pastas. Then reheat in a skillet over low heat with a splash of oil, because the microwave turns thin noodles rubbery.

Can I prep the marinated tomatoes in advance?

The tomatoes taste even better after a longer rest, so you can mix them up to 4 hours ahead and keep them at room temperature. But give them a stir before serving, since the juices settle to the bottom.

Do I need a skillet or can I toss the pasta in the pot?

A wide skillet works best, because it spreads the noodles so every strand picks up the browned butter. But a deep pot piles them up, which leaves half the pasta uncoated.

Why does my angel hair pasta always turn mushy?

Angel hair cooks in just 2 minutes, so pulling it even 30 seconds late makes it soft and sticky. And breaking the noodles in half before boiling helps, because shorter strands drain faster and land in the skillet before they overcook.