Johnny Carino’s Angel Hair Pasta with Artichokes is perfect and represents one of the best angel hair pasta recipes you’ve got to try! You can put together a hearty, healthy meal quickly with garlic, Roma tomatoes, artichokes, and more in no time. This restaurant favorite combines simple ingredients to create something truly special.
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Why This Artichoke Pasta Is Perfect for Any Occasion
Sometimes you want a pasta dish that’s simple, light, and can be put together in a flash! This artichoke pasta is exactly what you need for those moments. In the time it takes to boil the pasta water and cook the noodles, you can prepare this fresh and flavorful pasta topping and have a complete dinner ready in just minutes.
What Makes Johnny Carino’s Angel Hair Pasta with Artichokes the Pasta Dish You Want to Serve
This dish is genuinely special for multiple compelling reasons. First, the simple base of garlic and olive oil allows the authentic flavors of fresh artichokes, tomatoes, olives, and capers to truly stand out and shine on their own merit.
If you were to use a heavy or bold sauce in this pasta dish, it wouldn’t be nearly as exceptional because the sauce would completely mask the amazing taste of the carefully sautéed ingredients. You only need a fresh Parmesan topping to give the dish its perfect final touch.
Ingredients
You can find everything you need for this recipe at your everyday grocery store. Don’t worry that you would need to look for any exotic foods, this recipe has easy-to-find ingredients!
For the Pasta Base:
- Angel Hair Pasta – Delicate, thin pasta that cooks quickly and captures the light sauce perfectly
- Olive Oil – High-quality extra virgin olive oil forms the flavorful foundation of this dish
For the Mediterranean Flavor Profile:
- Fresh Garlic – Provides aromatic depth and authentic Italian flavor
- Artichoke Hearts – The star ingredient that gives this dish its distinctive character and meaty texture
- Roma Tomatoes – Add fresh sweetness and vibrant color to balance the other flavors
- Black Olives – Contribute briny, salty notes that enhance the Mediterranean profile
- Capers – Provide bright, tangy bursts that elevate all the other ingredients
How to Make Angel Hair Pasta with Artichokes
- Prepare pasta according to package instructions.
- Sauté garlic in olive oil until fragrant (about 1 minute).
- Add artichoke hearts, olives, tomatoes, and capers. Sauté for a few minutes. If you want you could add a quarter cup of white wine to this recipe if you desire, if you don’t drink wine, a small splash of lemon juice can also really amp up the flavor!
- Serve the artichoke mixture over the prepared pasta.
If desired, you can top it with some grated Parmesan cheese.
What To Serve With This Italian Pasta Dish
Just like at Johnny Carino’s, you can top this lovely pasta dish with either chicken or shrimp to give it more substance. You can also serve it with sides such as Italian salad, Caesar salad, mozzarella sticks, meatballs, or stuffed mushrooms.
When I make this at home, the meal is satisfying enough without needing to serve it with anything else but a simple dinner roll or slice of garlic bread.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator Storage – Transfer leftovers to a sealed container and store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. For best results, you can store the artichoke mixture separately from the cooked pasta.
- Reheating Method – This pasta reheats exceptionally well on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a dash of olive oil or butter to loosen any noodles that stick together, stirring occasionally for even heating.
- Freezing – Not recommended, as the texture of the vegetables and pasta will change significantly when frozen and thawed.
Love Pasta? Be sure to check out these amazing recipes
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- Walhalla Pasta Outback Steakhouse
- How to Make Pizza Hut Pasta (Cavatini)
- Egg and Pasta Recipe
- Spaghetti with Garlic Butter
- Instant Pot Sausage Pasta
- Fettuccine with Alfredo Sauce
- Five Cheese Lasagna
More Johnny Carino’s Copycat Recipes
Discover even more copycat pasta recipes and Italian restaurant recipes.
We would like to send a special thank you to ncbrewster for sharing this recipe.
Johnny Carino’s Angel Hair Pasta Easy Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 cup diced Roma tomatoes
- 1/2 cup finely diced black olives
- 1/4 cup capers
- 4 ounces Artichoke Hearts, halved drained
- 16 ounces Angel Hair Pasta
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions.
- In a medium-sized skillet aauté garlic in olive oil. Gook until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Add diced tomatoes, diced black olives, capers, and halved artichoke hearts. Saute for two to three minutes on medium heat. If desired you can add 1/4 cup of white wine. You will want to cook cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes so the wine can reduce.
- Plate the angel hair pasta, and pour sauce over the pasta.
I tend to be a fuddy duddy when I go to restaurants and this is the only thing I ever order from Carinos! Although I love the dish there was something bitter I couldn’t quite identify that I wished wasn’t in there… I used your recipe (added wine and kosher salt) but used neutral grape seed oil instead and I thought it came out just like it, only better without the bitter! I haven’t been in quite some time but I don’t ever remember there being basil in it, so i didn’t use. Thanks for coming up with this recipe!
Opps and butter and black pepper to the angel hair 🙂
I am so glad you liked it.
This is a new favorite for my family!
I don’t have this restaurant in my neck of the woods, so I won’t know the difference when I exchange the fresh Roma’s for canned, fixed tomatoes – to make it a shelf-stable recipe. Thanks!
Sounds like we’d enjoy this dish. Can I use canned (drained & thoroughly blotted dry) artichoke hearts in this recipe? I’d use frozen ones, but I can’t find them anywhere around here where we live.
Yes you can use canned ones.
I haven’t tried your recipe yet but this is my favorite dish at Carino’s. So I’m going to give it a try. I will say that I appreciate you sharing it. I don’t understand why people are being so negative to you! If someone doesn’t like it or think they can do better then good for them but I for one don’t like to read people’s rudeness. So again I thank you for sharing.
I’d recommend sautéing the garlic in olive oil for a minute or two before adding the rest of the ingredients. Always best to toss your pasta with your cooked items to coat with its sauce and add a fresh squeeze of lemon juice at the end.
Definitely making this sometime soon. So I should add white wine to this?
Carinoshad a bread with bowl cheesy dip on appetizer menu. Hasn’t been on menu in few years. Can’t remeber what it was called, but DELICIOUS!!! You could have plain, have crab added, sausage. Would love to get that recipe if anyone has Ideas.
I just made this dish today for my family. I used all the above ingredients plus I sliced very thin pieces of a cooked chicken breast to add to it. It was wonderful. Tasted just like the restaurant version. It was quick, easy and so delicious. Topped off with some Parmigiano-Reggiano to serve.
There is parmesan cheese in this dish.
Thank You so much!! I had this dish on my first visit and fell in love with it!!
The wife had this last night with the addition of shrimp. We asked what was in the sauce. They said White wine, Vegetable broth, spices. I am going to try it with half white wine, half vegetable broth and a pinch of itialian herbs.
This is all I ever have there. I can guarantee there is none of the above in it. Try this recipe just like above, tastes the same.
this recipe is on their website. no wine.
http://www.carinos.com/chefsblog/post/2009/09/24/Angel-Hair-with-Artichokes-and-Shimp-Carinos-Recipes-for-the-Home-Cook.aspx
I generally don’t believe the website’s of the restaurants give out recipes that taste exactly the same. I appreciate the link though!
My Wife and I are making this dish for our two year anniversary. It’s my favorite at Carino’s, and i cant wait to taste it homemade. What kind of wine do you think they put in it? pinot gris maybe?
I would use a dry white wine, maybe a chardonay? Happy Anniversary, I hope you many more happy anniversaries together!
You need about a of vegetable stock to make the sauce for this dish.
How much vegetable stock do you think you need? I think something was left out in your comment.
I ordered this dish today and asked the waitress if they might be willing to share this recipe. I told her what I thought might be in it and she added she thought they put a little wine in with it and they also added chopped basil. But no they weren’t willing to share. I do know it had the basil as I picked a piece out and examined it.
Thank you!!!! Can’t wait to try it!
This is a delicious and very easy pasta dish. If you don’t like capers, simply omit them. I just had this dish tonight at Carino’s and didn’t taste fresh basil in it…maybe dried, but I doubt it.
Carino’s has basil and is tossed with Parmesan cheese.
This is my favorite dish at Carinos. Hope it tastes as good homemade!