Angel hair pasta is a versatile and delicious ingredient that can be used to create many vegetarian dishes. Here are ten healthy and flavorful angel hair pasta recipes that are perfect for your meatless meals:
Why You’ll Love These Recipes
- A great way to include more vegetables in your diet.
- Quick and easy – most of these recipes take only about 30 minutes to prepare.
- Lighter than traditional pasta dishes, while still satisfying.
- Suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
Ingredients
The following ingredients are needed:
– Angel hair pasta
– Olive oil or vegetable broth
– Garlic cloves, minced
– Various fresh vegetables (such as zucchini, tomatoes, bell peppers, broccoli)
– Protein sources (such as chickpeas or tofu)
– Seasonings (salt, black pepper)
How To Make These Recipes
Recipe #1: Angel Hair with Lemon-Garlic Shrimp
- Cook the angel hair according to package instructions.
- Sauté shrimp with olive oil until fully cooked. Add garlic and red pepper flakes then sauté briefly.
- Toss the cooked pasta with lemon zest/juice mixture before serving; add salt/pepper if needed.
Recipe #2: Spinach-Pesto Pasta
- Purée spinach leaves into a smooth paste using a blender or food processor; add parmesan cheese and garlic cloves next.
- Cook the angel hair until it’s al dente/done (~5 mins), drain & reserve some cooking water for later use if desired.
- Mix the spinach pesto sauce into noodles well before mixing in Parmesan cheese.
Recipe #3: Vegan Alfredo
- Sauté diced onion with butter over medium heat until tender/caramelized; stir in flour slowly then gradually mix milk/broth afterward.
- Add nutmeg, salt, and black pepper to taste; cook until the sauce thickens.
- Cook angel hair pasta according to package instructions then add to warm sauce mixture.
Recipe #4: Spicy Angel Hair Puttanesca
- Sauté chopped garlic with olive oil until fragrant/soft, followed by adding some chili flakes and olives/parsley caper next for additional texture/flavour enhancement.
- Add crushed tomatoes and let simmer over low heat for ~ 10-15 minutes.
- Toss cooked noodles with sauce and garnish finished dish as preferred.
Recipe #5: Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
- Roast red peppers in oven under 425℉ for about 30 mins; blend roasted peppers into a purée along with basil leaves, toasted pine nuts then stir it into butter & onion mixture afterward.
- Mix in cream/vegetable broth before heating the sauce on medium-low heat.
- Plate angel hair pasta by scooping generous amounts of roasted red pepper sauce overtop; serve hot.
Recipe #6: Creamy Lemon Broccoli Pasta
1.Cook broccoli florets alongside boiling pot of water that has had the angel hair cooking time reduced by one minute so everything finishes at once approximately when it is done draining/reserving any necessary liquid
2.In a pan pour butter (or oil) plus lemon juice/zest , heavy cream, grated Parmesan cheese & minced garlic clove together and whisk; cook just long enough on low heat while stirring constantly so that ingredients thicken up slightly but do not boil or burn- usually around five minutes should suffice
3.Mix both hot components together thoroughly for an even distribution – season dish using salt & freshly ground pepper
Recipe #7: Chickpea Pomodoro Pasta
1.Drain can of chickpeas beforehand ; then, heat up some garlic & onion as well as a can of tomatoes with tomato paste in a pan over low-medium heat until mixture is nicely thickened
2.Add cooked pasta to pot along w/chickpeas and sauce plus seasonings; gently stir then let simmer for 5-7 minutes.
3.Serve angel hair topped off with fresh basil and parmesan cheese if desired.
Recipe #8: Angel Hair Primavera
- Boil angel hair until it’s done ; reserve some cooking water.
- Sauté various veggies like mushrooms, bell pepper slices, snap peas, or carrot ribbons then add minced garlic for flavour enhancement. Add salt/pepper to taste.
- Combine the cooked noodles and vegetables together on the stove while adding in cheese or cream sauce lastly (to reduce spoilage risk during storage).
Recipe #9: Tofu Bolognese Pasta
1.Crumble tofu into small pieces using your fingers ,then sauté it down in oil until slightly brown/crisp on outsides whilst mashing /stirring frequently so that texture is nice & uniform throughout
2. Add spaghetti sauce next alongside chopped onion/garlic before simmerring mixture briefly before doing one final seasoning adjustment using salt /black pepper to personal preference .
3.Top off pasta servings generously by scooping large helpings of hot bolognaise sauce onto dish first visually after plating.
Recipe #10: Cilantro Lime Noodles
1.Combine lime juice/zest + olive oil + honey/sweetener agent (like date syrup), mix these ingredients accordingly ground black pepper/salt ;
2.To create cilantro-lime dressing use blender blend ripe avocado flesh along with yogurt preferably Greek-style sour cream-based type) , fresh cilantro leaves plus aforementioned seasoning mixtue
3.Toss this creamy noodle goodness together once our angel hair noodles are ready
Cooking Time and Temperature Guidelines
- Cook the angel hair pasta according to package directions.
- For pan-fried ingredients, heat a skillet over medium-high heat.
My Pro-Tips
- Add reserved cooking water if your sauce looks too thick.
- Rinse cooked noodles in cold water for fewer clumps/stuck-together strands.
- Use fresh lemon juice/zest whenever possible for maximum flavor impact.
Seasoning Options
As mentioned above, salt and pepper are staples of these recipes. Some additional seasoning options you might like to try include dried oregano, basil, thyme or cumin powder.
Recipe Tips
Remember to reserve some cooking water from boiling pasta which could be used later in case you need it when preparing recipe 8: Angel Hair Primavera
Recommended Tools To Make This Recipe
The following kitchen tools make preparation easier:
Blender/ Food processor,
Large pot with lid for cooking pasta,
Skillet/frying pan ( as required by recipe),
Cutting board plus sharp knife,
These ten vegetarian angel hair pasta recipes offer quick-and-easy meals that are perfect for busy weeknights. They’re also an excellent way to add more vegetables into your diet while still enjoying deliciously satisfying dishes. Give one of these meatless meals a try next time you’re looking for a healthy yet flavorful dinner option!
FAQs
Q: Are these recipes suitable for vegans?
A: Yes, all of the angel hair pasta recipes listed in this article are vegetarian and can be made vegan-friendly by making simple substitutions such as using a vegan parmesan cheese alternative or skipping the cheese altogether.
Q: Can I use whole wheat or gluten-free angel hair pasta instead of regular angel hair pasta?
A: Yes, you can swap out regular angel hair pasta with whole wheat or gluten-free alternatives to make these recipes even healthier. Just keep in mind that cooking times may need to be adjusted accordingly depending on the type of pasta used.
Q: How many people do each recipe serve?
A: The serving size will vary based on the appetites of those eating and whether it is being served as a main course or side dish. Each recipe should include information about what serving sizes it yields, typically ranging from 4-6 servings per recipe.
