Our angel hair pasta tossed in a garlic butter scampi sauce is an easy, flavorful dish you’ll want to make again and again. We often serve it with lemon pepper salmon for a delicious salmon scampi twist. It also pairs beautifully with baked blackened salmon or simply on its own.
This quick angel hair pasta with scampi sauce is ideal for weeknights or an impressive weekend dinner. The dish was inspired by a favorite shrimp scampi from Brio and refined using techniques from classic scampi preparations to achieve a balanced sauce of butter, garlic, and lemon that lightly coats the pasta.
I aimed for an ideal sauce-to-pasta ratio so the lemony, buttery sauce enhances but doesn’t overwhelm the delicate angel hair. The result is a bright, silky pasta that works equally well as a simple main or as a side to seafood or chicken.
When serving, I love the contrast of zesty lemon pepper seasoning on salmon with the thin, buttery noodles. The recipe comes together quickly and brings restaurant-style flavor to your table with minimal effort.
What we love about this recipe
- Perfect Scampi Sauce: A buttery, garlic-forward sauce brightened with lemon.
- Quick and Easy: Uses simple ingredients and comes together fast.
- Versatile Pairing: Complements chicken, shrimp, or fish and works as a standalone pasta.
Ingredients
A full ingredient list with exact amounts is shown in the recipe card below.
- Angel hair pasta
- Salted butter and extra-virgin olive oil
- Garlic
- Chicken broth
- Dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay)
- Cherry tomatoes
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Freshly squeezed juice of half a lemon
Substitutions and modifications
- Pasta: Spaghetti or capellini are great alternatives; linguine or fettuccine work if you prefer a slightly thicker noodle.
- Lemon Pepper Seasoning: Combine lemon zest, cracked black pepper, and a pinch of garlic powder if you don’t have a premade blend.
- Salt: Use sea salt or Himalayan pink salt in place of kosher salt, adjusting amounts to taste.
- Oil: Avocado or grapeseed oil can replace olive oil for a more neutral flavor.
How to Make Angel Hair Pasta with Garlic Butter Sauce
Step 1: Cook angel hair pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water. While the pasta cooks, melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Step 2: Add minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Step 3: Pour in chicken broth and white wine. Add halved cherry tomatoes, salt, crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper.
Step 4: Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the liquid reduces by about half, roughly 10 minutes. Add lemon juice to brighten the sauce.
Step 5: Add the cooked pasta to the skillet. If you want a silkier, slightly thicker sauce, stir in up to ½ cup of the reserved pasta water.
Step 6: Toss the pasta in the sauce so it absorbs the lemon-garlic flavor. Serve immediately with fish, shrimp, chicken, or enjoy it as a simple pasta dish.
What to Serve
This pasta pairs wonderfully with lemon pepper salmon, shrimp, or grilled chicken. Serve with roasted vegetables like asparagus, zucchini, or bell peppers, garlic bread or a crusty baguette, and a green salad tossed with lemon vinaigrette for a complete meal.
Recipe Tips
- Use room temperature butter and quality olive oil: They emulsify more smoothly and give the sauce a better texture.
- Let the sauce reduce: Simmer until it thickens slightly to concentrate the flavors.
- Reserve pasta water: A small amount adjusts the sauce consistency—add gradually to get the texture you like.
- Add protein if desired: Grilled shrimp, baked salmon, or shredded rotisserie chicken turn this into a hearty main.
- Finish with herbs or cheese: Fresh parsley, basil, or grated Parmesan make a great finishing touch.
Commonly Asked Questions
Use an equal amount of chicken broth to replace white wine. It maintains liquid volume and adds savory depth without alcohol.
Scampi sauce—garlic, butter, and lemon—is excellent with angel hair because it’s light yet flavorful. Marinara, pesto, or a light Alfredo can also work depending on your taste.
Traditional scampi sauce includes garlic, butter, lemon juice, and white wine, often seasoned with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and finished with parsley.
📖 Recipe
Angel Hair Pasta with Garlic Butter Scampi Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 ounces angel hair pasta, uncooked
- ½ cup salted butter (8 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
- Juice of ½ lemon, freshly squeezed
- ½ cup reserved pasta water, if needed
Instructions
- Cook angel hair pasta in salted water according to package instructions. Drain and reserve ½ cup pasta water.
- While the pasta cooks, melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Pour in chicken broth and white wine, then add cherry tomatoes, kosher salt, crushed red pepper flakes, and ground black pepper.
- Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid reduces by about half, about 10 minutes.
- Add lemon juice and the freshly cooked angel hair to the skillet. Stir in reserved pasta water if desired to achieve a silkier sauce.
- Toss to combine so the pasta absorbs the lemon-garlic flavors. Serve immediately with chicken, fish, shrimp, or enjoy on its own.
Nutrition
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