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Lemon Capellini Salad

Lemon capellini salad with delicate angel hair pasta tossed in a bright lemon-herb oil dressing, finished with fresh parsley, basil, and parmesan. Light pasta salad style with a quick al dente cook, cold rinse, and a 30-minute chill for a refreshing summer texture.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Lemon capellini salad components
  • 12 oz capellini (angel hair) pasta
  • 0.33 cup olive oil
  • 0.25 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp lemon zest
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 0.5 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 0.25 cup fresh basil, torn
  • 0.5 cup parmesan, finely grated
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 small pan

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook capellini in boiling water until al dente, about 2-3 minutes. Drain, rinse cold under running water, and cool completely.
  2. Spread the drained, cooled pasta on a sheet pan in an even layer so it stays separated as it cools. Let it cool completely before dressing.
Make the lemon-garlic oil dressing
  1. Heat olive oil and minced garlic in a small pan over low heat for 2 minutes until fragrant. Do not brown the garlic, then cool completely.
  2. Whisk lemon juice, lemon zest, and the cooled garlic oil together until smooth and glossy. Keep whisking until the zest is evenly distributed.
Assemble and chill
  1. Toss the cooled pasta with the lemon-garlic dressing until every strand is lightly coated. Use gentle motion to keep the angel hair delicate.
  2. Fold in parsley, basil, and parmesan, then season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Toss again until the herbs and cheese are evenly spread.
  3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then toss well before serving. Keep it chilled until ready to eat.

Notes

Pro tip: rinsing the capellini cold stops cooking and keeps it airy instead of sticky—cool both the pasta and garlic oil completely before tossing. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days; the texture softens slightly but stays tasty. Freezing is not recommended for delicate angel hair. For a lighter swap, use part-skim parmesan or reduce the parmesan to 1/4 cup while keeping the lemon-herb balance.