Pasta with Garlic and Parmesan is easy to make
Angel Hair Pasta with Garlic and Parmesan is the perfect way to take a simple and easy side dish and give it some serious pizzazz! It’s a 10-minute recipe that goes well with many of your favorite dishes. We love to eat it with Pesto Parmesan Pork Chops.
Have you ever eaten at Carmine’s in NYC? So good, delicious family-style, authentic Italian food. I had Garlic Parmesan Pasta there a few years ago that knocked my socks off. It was obviously made with very simple ingredients but was cooked in such a way that, even though I was expecting it to be the least flavorful part of the meal. It was actually my favorite.
That meal I had at Carmine’s is what inspired me to make this Angel Hair Pasta with Garlic and Parmesan. The first time I made it, my kids begged me to make it the next day for lunch, too. They still love it and request it often…I have one child who usually only eats his pasta with butter and Parmesan on it, so this is a step up…there is toasted garlic and dried parsley in it. I’ll take that as a win!
Even though this recipe is made with angel hair pasta, you can use any pasta you like–Penne, Rigatoni, Spiral, Fettuccine, Spaghetti…whatever your family likes. I just love Angel Hair because it cooks so quickly, and I can whip this up super fast. It also has a fun texture.
Like I said above, it makes a great quick side dish, or we just love to eat it as a simple lunch. Here are some of our favorite meals to eat it with:
Serve this Recipe with…
- Pesto Parmesan Pork Chops
- Baked Butter Garlic Shrimp
- Italian Sausage and Peppers (If we don’t make them into subs)
- Baked Parmesan Chicken
- Turkey Zucchini Porcupine Meatballs
- Pesto Parmesan Chicken
Frequently Asked Questions about How to make Angel Hair Pasta with Garlic and Parmesan:
How long do you cook Angel Hair pasta?
Typically, Angel Hair pasta needs to be cooked in boiling water for 3 minutes. Depending on the brand of pasta you are using, that time could slightly differ. The best thing to do is to check the back of the box. I prefer it cooked to al dente, so there is still a little bite to each noodle.
What is the best way to cook Angel Hair pasta?
Angel hair pasta is very thin and can easily stick and clump together when cooking. The best way to prevent that while cooking is to make sure you use a large pot to boil it in. Also, adding a tbsp of oil will help it not clump as well. For this recipe, you will want to boil the pasta in at least 4 quarts of water. You also want to make sure the water is salted appropriately. You want the water to be nice and salty. I usually add about 2 tsp to four quarts of water. Always wait to put your pasta in until the water is at a full boil.
Can I use other types of pasta for this recipe?
Yes. This recipe works great with many types of pasta. I listed some above that work really well. There are a few types that I would not suggest–regular macaroni, orzo, or shells.
Do I have to use both butter and olive oil, or can I just use one or the other?
No, you do not have to use both butter and olive oil in this recipe. You can use only olive oil if you want to. I have used only olive oil before, and it is delicious that way as well…Personally, I just like the flavor butter adds to the finished dish. However, I don’t recommend using only butter in this recipe. When you are browning the garlic, it will take a few minutes. The butter will cook along with the garlic and will brown as well…this will give it an almost caramel flavor if it browns too far. When you mix olive oil with butter in a recipe like this, the olive oil acts as a stabilizer for the butter and keeps it from cooking/browning as quickly as it would on its own. Using part butter gives a slightly rich and nutty tone that I really like in the finished product.
How to Make Angel Hair Pasta with Garlic and Parmesan
- Multi-task by bringing salted water to boil in a large pot while chopping garlic and sauteing it in butter and olive oil with the dry parsley.
- Use a large sauté pan to sauté the garlic. This way you can just add the noodles into that pot once they are cooked and drained.
- Sauté the chopped garlic until it is golden, and then remove from heat. Salt and pepper the garlic while you are sautéing it.
- Quickly cook the angel hair pasta in boiling salted water for about 3-4 minutes.
- Drain pasta and immediately toss the cooked pasta in the sautéed garlic, parsley, olive oil, and butter. If desired, scoop out a spoonful of the sautéed garlic to garnish with when serving.
- Add 1/2-1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese. If desired, squeeze a lemon wedge or two onto the noodles and toss again. This is an optional step and can be catered to personal taste. I like the hint of lemon.
- Serve immediately.
I know this looks like an innocent little bowl of pasta, but I’m telling you…you will have a hard time putting your fork down. There’s something about the simple flavor combination and the silky-coated noodles that just begs you to take one more bite. YUM!
COOK’S TOOLS for Pasta with Garlic and Parmesan:
More Pasta with Garlic and Parmesan
- 1 16 oz package of angel hair pasta
- 8-10 large segments of garlic, finely chopped (I usually use a whole clove)
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp dried parsley
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 large lemon wedge (optional)
- Boil pasta according to package directions for al dente pasta. Make sure to salt the water.
- While waiting for water to boil and pasta to cook, add olive oil and butter to a large sauté pan. (You want the pan to be large enough that you will be able to add the pasta once it finishes cooking.)
- Once butter has melted, add garlic, dried parsley, salt, and pepper. Sauté, stirring constantly, until it starts to turn golden brown. Do not overcook the garlic. Once it starts to turn a light brown or golden, remove from heat.
- Once pasta is done, drain and quickly add it to the garlic, olive oil, and butter mixture. Toss until evenly coated.
- Add grated Parmesan and a squeeze of lemon, if desired. Toss again. At this point, taste it and decide if you need to add more salt. You can also drizzle with a little more olive oil if desired.
- Salt to taste if needed and serve immediately. I like to reserve a spoonful of the sautéed garlic to put in the center of the serving dish with a little more Parmesan cheese...as pictured.
- Enjoy!
For the Pasta Lovers
Thank you very much for this recipe.
These look delicious. And shrimp over this or mixed in would be great.
Looks like if have noodles for this COVID-19 quarantine time that we are all in. Saturday’s would be good to make this for myself.
You are welcome Heather. Hope you get a chance to make it and enjoy it.
Is this recipe good served room temperature??
Yes, my kids eat it warm or room temp.
I needed a quick side for leftover chicken parm. This sure delivered!
Awesome! I love hearing that Carol!
I love the recipe
Yay! Thank you Deborah, I am so glad to hear that!
This is so simple yet so delicious. I love pairing it with a big tossed salad. Soooo good. #julygiveaway
Looks delicious!
#marchgiveaway
Thanks Mandy!
in
The perfect compliment to your pesto pork chop recipe! Yummy!
Hi Maria, thank you sooo much for this recipe! I found it just a couple of weeks ago, trying to find a tasty pasta side dish. You are so right about wanting just one more bite of this! I have already made it three times for my family and passed it on to a friend. It is so good and simple to make, I love it. Thanks again and keep up the good work.
Yay! I absolutely love hearing this Susana. I am sorry it took me so long to respond. I am so glad you like the recipe and have been sharing it. 🙂
#kulygiveaway
#julygiveaway
Do you mean a whole head of garlic when you say 8 to 10 cloves of garlic?
Yes, It pretty much ends up being a whole head of garlic depending on how big our head is.
We love this one too- my 4 year old will eat the whole batch of noodles!
Awesome! That makes me so happy!
This tasted very good, but I ended up with a lot of oil left over, it was very tasty, but the leftovers turned quite stiff, can you tell me how I can reheat it to go soft again, I really want to eat the leftovers
Reheating pasta can be tricky. I put mine in a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap before microwaving and it usually comes out well.
DELICIOUS! What a yummy and easy pasta recipe! We love to make this just to eat or as a side for grilled meats. SOOO GOOOD! We make this almost weekly!
I totally agree. This is such a simple way to feel like a rockstar chef! So good!
I add pesto and anchovies when it’s just me. 😋
Awesome! Great idea!!!
My husband and I love this dish! It’s on our regular rotation. I add a little pasta water at the end for moisture, just about 1/4 cup. Simple and lovely with chicken, shrimp, or fish! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Awesome, I love hearing that Robin!
I thought it was rather bland. The husband said it was good, which is it’s ok. When he really likes a recipe he says that was good Love. I added some cooked broccoli so maybe I needed a little more butter.
Thanks for the feedback, adding the broccoli may have taken some of the flavor, maybe try one and a halting the butter, garlic and seasoning if you add broccoli next time and hopefully it will get you the “Good Love” compliment next time.
Made this tonight and it was a hit with both of us. I have a feeling our leftovers will be even better! The only change I would make next time is to add a bit more lemon than I used tonight. Either way, this one is a keeper.
Thanks, Debbie! So glad you like it.