Angel Hair Pasta with Citrus Sauce

Angel Hair Pasta with Citrus Sauce is a flavorful, and delicious dish for a weeknight meal.  Made with 3 citrus fruits, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and a few more ingredients to create a light cream sauce that is amazing! It’s a sauce that requires practically no cooking; only warming.  A perfect summer dish and one that’s quick and easy!

 

Our family loves citrus fruits!  We’re always looking for new ways to make dinner fast and easy, and under 30 minutes (if possible).

And this dish can be prepared in less time than it takes to boil the water for the pasta. 

Angel hair pasta is a very thin spaghetti, (same as capellini pasta) and it cooks up quickly. 

But when you combine thin, delicate pasta with a light citrus sauce made with lime, orange, and lemon, along with some cream, it turns a simple dish into a FABULOUS one! 😉

  

This angel hair pasta dish may sound “fancy” but it’s not, and it only takes about 15 minutes to make!

All you’ll need is one small skillet or a saucepan to warm up the sauce.  

For this recipe, it’s best to “undercook” the angel hair pasta, to a very, very al-dente.  Because the pasta is so thin, it will continue to cook even after you drain it, and you could end up overcooking the pasta that turns out mushy or too starchy. 

Simply warm up some cream along with the zest of lime, lemon, and orange, along with some fresh-squeezed juice, olive oil, and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.  Next, toss it with the angel hair pasta for a refreshing zesty taste of summer! 

 

Delicious tasting, similar to our Angel Hair Pasta with Lemon Sauce, only this one is a bit creamier and just as flavorful.

Enjoy Angel Hair Pasta with Citrus Sauce as a side to some of our most popular recipes!  Serve it with our Chicken Tenders Smothered with Lemon & Parsley, or with our Mom’s Best Chicken Piccata.

Also, you can serve this pasta dish with our Flounder Fillets in Lemon Sauce.  All these dishes are smothered in a citrus sauce.  Perfect! 😉

An easy pasta dish to make and adapt! 

• You can add more or less grated cheese if you prefer (or omit it totally).  Add additional juice from all 3 citrus fruits, if you prefer. 
• Plus, you can toss in some crushed red pepper flakes to add some heat. 

• Want more cream?  Sure, you can add in more cream, especially if you prefer it creamier.  

• Keep in mind,  you don’t need the ingredients to be the exact measurements to make it perfect.  Italian cooking is all about keeping it very simple. 

All that matters is the flavors, and using only fresh ingredients to make dishes like this one delicious tasting! 

Also, try gluten-free Angel Hair Pasta or GF Capellini Pasta. 

Enjoy!!

How to Make Angel Hair Pasta with Citrus Sauce?

For this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

• 1 pound angel hair pasta ( or capellini pasta)
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• zest of 1 small lemon, one lime, and 1/2 of an orange
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. orange juice
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese and extra
• fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
• freshly chopped basil, as garnish

Directions to Make Angel Hair Pasta with Citrus Sauce:

1.  In a large pot of boiling water, add 2 teaspoons of salt.  Add in angel hair pasta and cook until “al dente,” about 3 minutes or less.  Reserve 1/4 cup of salted water.  Drain and transfer back to the pot.  Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over the angel hair to help prevent it from sticking to the pot. 

2.  Meanwhile, melt butter in a small skillet pan.  Add olive oil,  zest, lemon and orange juice, salt, and pepper, and heavy cream.   Heat gently for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens a little.

3.  Next, transfer the sauce with the pasta.  Add fresh basil and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and toss until angel hair pasta is evenly coated.  If you desire more heavy cream,  you will need to warm it up in the skillet before adding it to the pasta.   

4.  Serve in warm bowls and garnish with some fresh basil, lemon zest, and fresh cracked pepper on top.  Serve immediately.  Serve with extra grated Parmigiano cheese at the table.

Serves 4 to 6

Quick NOTES and TIPS for SUCCESS!

• Always buy organic citrus fruits when the recipe calls for zesting. 
• Before zesting the lemon, lime and orange,  give your citrus fruits a good rinse with a safe vegetable wash to remove waxes and any chemicals, etc. 
• You only need about 1 tablespoon of zest from each citrus fruit. 
• Keep in mind, the longer the angel hair pasta sits with the sauce, the more it will absorb the creamy sauce into the pasta. Therefore, always serve this dish immediately. 

MORE DELICIOUS PASTA RECIPES!

• Vegetable Bolognese with Pappardelle
• Pasta Cooked with Broccoli in 15 Minutes!
• Spinach Ravioli with Asparagus Sauce
• Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil (Ready in 15 minutes!)

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1 serving
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories	369
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20.6g	26%
Saturated Fat 9.1g	46%
Cholesterol 79mg	26%
Sodium 271mg	12%
Total Carbohydrate 38.9g	14%
Dietary Fiber 1.8g	7%
Total Sugars 1.3g
Protein 9.3g
Vitamin D 11mcg	53%
Calcium 27mg	2%
Iron 2mg	9%
Potassium 21mg	0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a

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Happy Cooking!!  🙂

Thanks for stopping by! 

xo Anna and Liz