Ina Garten Lemon Capellini
Lemon capellini, also known as lemon angel hair pasta, is a quick pasta recipe where capellini (very thin pasta) is tossed with butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, and seasoning. Ina Garten’s version keeps things bright, tangy, and rich—all with a silky finish that clings perfectly to delicate noodles.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Boiling + Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients
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½ pound capellini (angel hair pasta)
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6 tablespoons unsalted butter
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2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
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1 tablespoon lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
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¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
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½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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Optional: chopped fresh parsley or basil, for garnish
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the capellini and cook for 2–3 minutes, or until just al dente. Angel hair cooks quickly, so watch closely.
Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
In a large sauté pan, melt the butter with olive oil over medium heat. Stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Cook for 1 minute to blend flavors.
Add the drained pasta to the lemon butter sauce. Toss to coat evenly, adding a bit of the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the noodles.
Sprinkle in the grated Parmesan cheese and toss again. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Serve hot, topped with more Parmesan and optional fresh herbs like parsley or basil.