8 Angel Hair Pasta Recipes That Make the Most of This Quick-Cooking Noodle

The delicate pasta twirls beautifully around a fork—and readily absorbs sauces.

Shrimp Scampi

Our favorite angel hair pasta recipes feature simple sauces and quick cooking times—they prove that angel hair is the perfect noodle to cook all year long. Because of its thinness, it's ready in as little as two minutes. It's a delicate pasta that's perfect for light sauces and even tastes great cold in the summer. 

Called capellini in Italy, angel hair has been a staple in Italian cuisine since its first appearance in the 14th century. Stateside, it can be a polarizing pasta type. Some compare it unfavorably to linguine, spaghetti, and bucatini—but angel hair dissenters are missing out on a pasta that twirls beautifully and easily around the tines of a fork. The thin strands absorb sauce like few other pastas can—and eating angel hair offers a textured mouthfeel that is delightful and unique. Ahead, see some of our favorite recipes starring capellini.

01 of 08

Angel Hair Pasta With Black Truffles

Black Truffle Angel Hair Pasta
Dana Gallagher

Take an already elegant shape to the next level with this simple black truffle sauce. The thin pasta really lets the flavors of the truffle shine—and the entire recipe comes together with just three ingredients.

02 of 08

Chicken With Artichokes and Angel Hair

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This recipe leans on pantry staples and chicken to create a comforting dish that derives slightly from picatta. No need for tedious artichoke prep here—jarred artichokes are a convenient and delicious alternative.

03 of 08

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

chicken noodle soup in bowl

Romulo Yanes

This simple soup is even easier thanks to quick-cooking angel hair made directly in the broth. It's especially great for kids; the noodles are broken up into smaller pieces, making them easy to eat with a spoon.

04 of 08

Rice Pilaf With Vermicelli

rice pilaf with angel hair

Use angel hair rather than rice vermicelli in this pilaf dish. And don't be concerned if some of your angel hair has broken in the package. In fact, lean into it: Mixing broken angel hair with rice in this pilaf makes for a dynamic and interesting dish that emulates the boxed classic. It perfectly accompanies grilled fish, chicken, and so much more.

05 of 08

Fresh Angel Hair Pasta With Bacon and Peas

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Colorful and light, this 20-minute angel hair pasta dinner is one to bookmark. It's a riff on spaghetti carbonara that adds frozen peas and shallots to a light creamy sauce.

06 of 08

Lemony Shrimp Scampi

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A quick-cooking pasta like angel hair deserves a quick-cooking protein. Enter shrimp, which stars in this classic scampi recipe brightened with plenty of lemon and fresh herbs.

07 of 08

Ina's Lemon Capellini With Caviar

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Plenty of good butter helps showcase the richness of this special occasion dish, which gives caviar a new home beyond just blinis and baked potatoes. Use the best caviar you can afford; your guests will be impressed at this simple but stunning presentation of a classic Ina Garten recipe.

08 of 08

Pasta With Herbs

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Angel hair with fresh herbs and Parmesan makes a big impact on a tiny budget. Sometimes less is more—and this recipe definitely makes that case.

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