How To Make Angel Hair Pasta Not Stick?

I know seeing all the yummy pasta recipes can be tempting. And, now you are craving some. Though it seems pretty easy. But, one little mistake and boom! 

Your angel hair pasta will look sloppy and sticky. Well, nothing to be worried.

How to make angel hair pasta not stick?

To avoid sticky angel hair pasta, boil the water perfectly. After putting the pasta, continuously stir and give enough space to move. Add a little bit of oil to avoid the stickiness. The pasta is ready to transfer when it looks slippery. After boiling, wash it with cool water.

This is just a small part of a flavorful angel hair pasta. Follow my lead all the way to the conclusion for further information.

What is the point of procrastinating any longer? Let’s proceed!

Reasons Behind Angel Hair Pasta Sticking and Their Prevention Methods 

I know sticky pasta tastes so awful and all the effort seems pointless. By following these methods, you’ll feel relieved. Just pay attention to the details.

Reason 1: Cold Water

It will turn sticky if you put the pasta in before the heat is fully simmering. It will taste clumpy while they sit in lukewarm water.

Solution: Ensure the Water is Hot Enough

When you put angel hair pasta in boiling water, it decreases the temperature. If your water weren’t boiling to start with, it’d be tepid after you add your pasta.

Usually the preferable temperature of the boiling water is 96°C to 100°C. Make sure the temperature of the water is inbetween the mentioned range. You can try out these thermometers in case you’re not sure about the temperature.

Reason 2: Insufficient Stirring

As you put your pasta into hot water for the very first two minutes, they’re coated in a gummy film of flour. 

If you don’t mix the pasta constantly for the first two minutes, they’ll cling. And as a result you’ll have gooey, sticky pasta.

Solution: Continuously Stir Your Angel Hair Pasta

The solution to this problem is pretty simple. All you have to do is, to stir it continuously Otherwise, it will remain locked since they’ll boil together. So, take my advice and just continue stirring.

Reason 3: Inadequate Space 

Angel hair pasta requires enough space to move around. Otherwise, it will just stick together. It will definitely make your pasta sticky. I am sure you don’t want that.

Solution: Use a Large Pan 

Measure the angel hair pasta and put it in a 2x pan to boil. This will help to boil the perfect angel hair pasta. I usually prefer the pasta pot from gotham steel. It also has strainer lid, which makes the straining quite easy.

Reason 4: Too Little Water

An insufficient amount of water will make the angel hair pasta horrible. The outcome is chewy, mushy, and sticky pasta.

Solution: Use Sufficient Water

Angel hair pasta should be floating in the water. Otherwise, the pasta will become something paste like. And that is obviously not desirable.

The standard pasta pot has a capacity of 6 to 8 liters. For 500g pasta, 3/4 of the amount with water should be poured.

Reason 5: Don’t Let it Cool Itself

If you let your angel hair pasta cool itself, it will stick together. It will taste lumpy and sticky.

If you’re not going to consume it straight away, drain it with water. It’s best to rinse your cooked noodles with cold water. 

This gets rid of the starch, which is what makes the noodles cling together. When you’re ready to eat the noodles, douse it with sauce, reheat and eat it right away. You can also store the leftover angel hair pasta by following a similar process.

If you’re preparing a cold pasta salad with your noodles, this method also works.

Reason 6: Overboiled Pasta

Overboiled sticky pasta will taste mushy and awful. While adding gravy you also need to maintain consistency to avoid stickiness.  

Angel hair, like any other pasta needs extra attention, even more than spaghetti. It requires a lot of salty water to produce because it boils rapidly. 

Solution: Be Careful While Boiling

The solution to this problem is to not overboil it. I know that seems a bit dumb. But as we all know, prevention is always better than cure.

However, you also have to keep on stirring when the pasta is boiling. This helps the pasta to boil evenly. And for that you’ll want to ensure the pasta has more than enough area. 

It has to move about throughout the brief time it spends in the water. Cooking freshly produced angel hair pasta simply takes a few minutes. Angel hair pasta cooking time is like 2-3 minutes at best.

Pasta Sauce Consistency to Avoid Stickiness

Sometime’s even after following everything perfectly, the pasta might feel sticky. Well, that can be concerning because you’ve made the perfect angel hair pasta. So, what can go wrong?

Well, the sauce can make the pasta sticky too. And among all the angel hair pasta recipes, the common thing is tomato sauce.

It’s easy to make and takes only a few minutes to serve. While making angel hair pasta sauce, you need to make it light to avoid a clumpy taste.

Solution

You need to follow the above instructions to cook the angel hair pasta. And, then serve with tomato sauce gravy. Avoid putting too much tomato because this will ruin the spicy taste.

You need-

• 1 1/2 lbs roughly chopped juicy on-the-vine tomatoes
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, minced
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup basil leaves

Now, you know what you need let’s move onto the method.

• Using a pasta spoon or chopsticks, take the pasta straight from the boiling hot water to the basin containing the tomato. 

• Stir in the Grated cheese and a pinch of basil and toss to coat. Set aside for 5 minutes to let the angel hair pasta sauce soak somewhat. 

• Garnish with the leftover basil and a drizzle of olive oil on top. You can add more Parmesan cheese as per your choice.

Avoid Serving Sides with Sticky Angel Hair Pasta

You can pair up your angel hair pasta with multiple sides. This will add a mouthwatering flavor. 

Asians always add fusion to any cuisine. And, angel hair pasta isn’t an exception. When I say asian angel hair pasta, don’t be surprised. Some might prefer to add all the components altogether. 

But you can’t directly just add chicken to your pasta. While cooking chicken angel hair pasta, it requires special attention. Adding sides with sticky chicken angel hair pasta, it will taste terrible.

Shrimp can be another great choice to add in your pasta. However, if you’re allergic to shrimp try some shrimp substitutes in your pasta.

And, you also might be wondering that what actually angel hair pasta nutrition is?

Angel hair pasta is highly effective for weight reduction and nutritious. Per cup of angel hair pasta contains 42.1g total carbohydrates. It also contains 36.6g net carbs, 2.4g fat, 8.4g protein, and 209 cals. Fiber is 3.5 grams per serving, compared to 2 grams in regular pasta.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long To Boil Angel Hair Pasta?

Angel hair pasta is fragile and susceptible to overcooking. It happens in a flash and leaves a gloopy waste. It is better to prepare angel hair pasta just before serving. Check it after 4 minutes. It varies on the pasta type. Angel hair spaghetti just needs a minute or two, perhaps three, to cook.

Do you crush angel hair pasta into small sizes before cooking?

It’s essential not to shatter pasta since it’s designed to spiral around your fork. The pasta must be appropriately prepared for the gravy to adhere to it. The dressing must be rich enough to stick to the pasta without dripping or splattering. Also, it won’t look nice enough when you serve.

Is it true that adding oil to pasta prevents it from sticking?

The use of olive oil is claimed to keep the pot from overheating. It makes the pasta less likely to cling together. However, most people believe it does more damage than benefit. It can keep the gravy from holding to the pasta. Don’t use a sauce or an olive oil foundation.

Bottom Line

I hope you now understand how to make angel hair pasta not stick.

I’ll leave you with an extra tip at the conclusion of this article. To keep all ingredients constant, always use measuring cups. This will assist you in getting it in the greatest possible form.

Until next time, take care!