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Lemon Capellini Salad

Lemon capellini salad with delicate angel hair pasta tossed in a bright lemon-garlic dressing, then chilled for a light, fresh finish. Thin pasta strands stay tender while parsley, basil, cherry tomatoes, and Parmesan add color and flavor.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 53 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Capellini
  • 1 lb capellini (angel hair pasta)
Lemon dressing
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
  • 0.25 cup lemon juice
  • 2 lemons (zest) Zest of 2 lemons
  • 2 garlic Minced
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley Chopped
  • 0.25 cup fresh basil Chopped
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese Grated
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes Halved
  • 1 salt To taste
  • 1 black pepper To taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the capellini according to package directions (usually 3-4 minutes) until tender. Visual cue: the strands should look flexible and just cooked, not mushy.
  2. Drain the capellini and rinse with cold water right away. Visual cue: the pasta cools and separates into thin strands.
Make the lemon-garlic dressing
  1. In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until combined. Visual cue: the dressing looks glossy and evenly speckled with lemon zest.
Toss and chill
  1. Gently toss the rinsed capellini with the lemon dressing, taking care not to break the delicate strands. Visual cue: the pasta becomes lightly coated and shiny.
  2. Add parsley, basil, Parmesan, and halved cherry tomatoes, then toss gently until evenly distributed. Visual cue: herbs and tomatoes are suspended throughout the thin pasta.
  3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to chill and let flavors meld. Visual cue: the salad firms up slightly and tastes brighter cold.
Serve
  1. Serve the lemon capellini salad chilled as a light side dish. Visual cue: top with extra lemon zest if desired for a fresh finish.

Notes

For clean, delicate strands, rinse with cold water immediately and toss very gently—thin capellini breaks easily. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; it can be served straight from cold. Freezing is not recommended as the pasta texture softens. For a lighter option, use half the Parmesan or swap in a reduced-fat Parmesan and keep the dressing measurements the same.