Angel Hair and Garlic
Oh, the pasta-bilities! I’m a huge pasta fan and like vanilla in baking measure garlic with your heart is my motto!
Let’s dive right in and make this quick easy meal.
It can be adjusted to make it your own with lots of flavor options.
Pasta with garlic and oil, sounds basic… but it tastes amazing!
let’s get to the add-ins:
- butter- oh yeah, you can never go wrong with butter, add as much as you’d like
- heavy cream a couple of tablespoons of tomato sauce, and viola!
- vegetables- add some asparagus, spinach, roasted Brussels sprouts, or mushrooms
- protein- choose your favorite, perfect to use up leftovers 🙂
- cheese- add some Romano cheese, parmesan, or your favorite cheese
- lemon- fresh lemon juice is always good!
Now onto the pasta… I love Angel Hair, it’s so thin and delicate. It cooks in just a couple of minutes, making it faster to get the meal on the table.
Delicious items to also add
- capers- bring on that delicious tangy flavor
- pesto- add a couple of tablespoons… oh la la. Be sure to try this jalapeno pesto!
- crushed red pepper- yep, that’s for sure going on the top of my pasta (add more when you’re heating the oil for extra spicy flavor)
- add some dry oregano to the oil or hydrate it in the reserved pasta water before adding it
- fresh basil is so wonderful
Let’s talk about garlic for a minute:
This recipe is all about the best garlic flavor.
Fresh garlic is going to be the best for this recipe. It’ll offer the best flavor. My second choice is peeled whole garlic you find in the refrigerated section of the store and it’s a good option. But it really ends there. Jarred minced garlic has preservatives and it has an acidic flavor, I just do not care for. I like Gourmet Gardens Garlic paste in so many recipes but not here, this is the dish you’ll want to see slivers of garlic all golden and delicious peeking out of the pasta! Enough said!
And remember with the garlic measure as you wish… I like tons of garlic!
This recipe can be easily multiplied or reduced to make just the amount you need.
If you’re like me and love pasta… make extra pasta and store it in the fridge. Rinse the pasta with cold water, then place it in a bag or container.
In minutes you can make…
- scrambled egg and bacon pasta one of my all-time favorite breakfasts
- spaghetti soup– it has that total yummy factor
- lemon vodka pasta sauce
- Thai peanut noodles
- buttermilk pasta sauce
- chicken lo mein
- screwdriver pasta sauce
- and for dessert chocolate spaghetti
Need more pasta recipes check these out!
Angel Hair and Garlic
Ingredients
- 1 lb angel hair pasta reserver 1 cup pasta water
- 8-10 cloves fresh garlic, sliced fresh is really best in this recipe, or whole peeled garlic is another options to buy
- 1/4 cup oil, avocado or light olive oil use more oil if needed
- 4 leaves fresh basil, sliced
- pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- pinch salt and pepper
- options: tomatoes, asparagus, mushrooms, cook in a the garlic and oil mixture before adding pasta
- 2 oz grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water for the sauce.
- Heat a medium to large skillet or use the pot you cook the past in when pasta is finished.
- Heat oil and garlic over medium-high heat.
- Since angel hair sticks together so easily, I rinse it, but when I use other pasta varieties I don't find it necessary.
- Saute for 1-2 minutes, don't burn the garlic. Stir so the oil gets infused with all the garlic. Add any vegetables and cook until just tender.
- Place all items in the pot you cooked pasta in if not already in there.
- Stir and add the pasta water and coat the pasta well. Add additional oil if needed, and add butter if desired. If adding heavy cream, pesto or similar items add before or after adding pasta.
- Serve topped with grated cheese, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper.
I love simple delicious meals like this and as soon as I saw it in your email I had to make it, my family loved it. I will be making it more now, I liked it better than with so much tomato sauce the way I usually make pasta. Thanks and I really love getting your emails.
OMG how can something so simple taste so great, it’s the garlic for sure. Thanks. I just love easy recipes like this.