The Ideal Type Of Sauce To Dress Angel Hair Pasta

There's a time and place for a rich bolognese sauce, but not every pasta type can handle all that heaviness. Angel hair noodles are light and thin and therefore, need to be paired with a sauce that won't completely weigh them down. When you whip up an angel hair dish, stay away from heavier options like vodka, alfredo, and amatriciana, which will prevent you from being able to taste the delicate texture of your noodles.

Instead, go for a light sauce that will beautifully complement angel hair — ideally, something minimal like pasta aglio e olio, which uses only olive oil and garlic. If you venture into the world of cream-based sauces, keep them super simple. Think primavera with vegetable broth or an easy combination of a little parmesan cheese, cream, garlic, and fresh herbs. And although we're staying away from the heavier, meat-based sauces, the subtler flavors in seafood pair perfectly with angel hair noodles and a white wine or lemon sauce. 

When it comes to toppings for your angel hair dishes, reach for the less heavy ones first. This can mean small pieces of protein (think bacon bits or diced pancetta) or ground meat like chicken. Leafy greens like spinach or kale will keep your bowl light and fluffy, as well as diced jalapenos, peas, and capers. Seafood is also an ideal addition here, which can mean adding scallops, mussels, shrimp, and oysters into your pasta. Try out a dish like shrimp and scallop scampi or replace the noodles in spaghetti alle vongole with angel hair.

But just because you're keeping your sauce light, doesn't mean you have to opt out of heavier mix-ins altogether. The key here is just to make sure your other ingredients don't drown out the pasta entirely. You can also add chunks of sausage and vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, and mushrooms — just cook them separately from the sauce, so the overall dish feels fresh. When finishing off with some grated cheese, make sure to use a light hand, but feel free to go heavy on the herbs and red pepper flakes.