Italian
Lemon Asparagus Angel Hair
Thin pasta cooks quickly and finishes with sautéed asparagus, lemon zest, and butter. It is light, sharp, and ready in the time it takes to boil water.
- Prep
- 12 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 27 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Angel hair cooks in a few minutes.
- Lemon zest and juice keep the dish bright.
- Asparagus softens in the same skillet as the butter.
- Parmesan ties the sauce together with pasta water.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Boil angel hair in salted water until just tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain.
- 2
Heat olive oil and 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook asparagus 4 to 5 minutes until crisp-tender.
- 3
Add garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 30 seconds.
- 4
Add drained pasta, remaining butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- 5
Toss with Parmesan and pasta water until a light sauce forms.
- 6
Adjust seasoning and serve right away.
Pro tips
- Do not overcook angel hair; pull it early.
- Zest the lemon before juicing it.
- Snap tough asparagus ends off before cutting.
Easy substitutions
- angel hair
- spaghetti
- asparagus
- broccolini cut small
- butter
- olive oil only for a lighter finish
Storage and reheating
Storage
Keeps 2 days in the fridge; texture is best fresh.
Reheating
Warm briefly in a skillet with water so the noodles do not dry out.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 470
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
Moderate · Stovetop · Vegetarian
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