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Quick and easy to make, this simple lemon pasta recipe, also called pasta al limone in Italy, is the perfect weeknight dinner. Made with fresh lemon, garlic, black pepper and parmesan, this vegetarian spaghetti is bursting with flavor.
Ingredients & substitutions
- Pasta: I like to make this dish with a long pasta. Spaghetti or linguini both work great, but you can make it with a shorter pasta if that’s what you have. Use a gluten-free pasta if you have an intolerance. Be sure to check out my post on how to cook pasta perfectly for this recipe.
- Oil: For cooking. I use olive oil to lend flavor to the dish, but you can use another high heat oil like avocado, canola or vegetable.
- Garlic: Use freshly minced garlic for the best flavor.
- Parsley: Use fresh parsley for a burst of herby freshness throughout the dish.
- Lemon: I use both the zest and juice of a lemon for a real zingy flavor. It is called lemon pasta after all!
- Cheese: I like to add in some grated parmesan, but you can omit this to make a vegan dish.
How to make lemon pasta
- Add the garlic, parsley, lemon zest and juice to heated oil in a pan.
- Add the pasta water to bring in some starch and cheese (if using).
- Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
- Toss in the cooked spaghetti and serve.
Watch this video to learn how to make lemon pasta.
Tips for making the recipe well
- Cook the pasta al-dente. That’s because you’ll be tossing it with the sauce for a couple minutes so it will continue to cook. If you overcook it, it can become very soft.
- Don’t toss your pasta water! Some is added back to the pan with the lemon and garlic. It contains starch, which will allow the lemon sauce to coat each strand of spaghetti.
- Use milk instead of pasta water for a more creamy texture. I prefer keeping it light with the lemon juice and pasta water because the garlic and olive oil give it great flavor. But milk is a great option as well!
- Use fresh ingredients. This simple dish has the best flavors when you use fresh products. Use fresh rather than dried herbs, use freshly minced garlic and stay away from bottled lemon juice for this recipe.
Frequently asked questions
This lemon pasta is best served as soon as it’s made, but it will keep well in the fridge for two or three days. You can reheat leftovers on the stovetop or in the microwave. You may want to add in a tablespoon or two of water when you reheat to loosen the sauce back up.
This pasta al limone is super delicious as it is, but you can easily add in some protein if you wish. Stir in some shredded chicken, or add some cooked shrimp to serve.
You can easily serve this by itself, but I like to add some fresh veggies, a salad side or some bread to make it more hearty. Try it with:
Caesar Salad
Caprese Salad
Green Beans
Garlic Bread
This simple but delicious lemon spaghetti is the perfect weeknight meal when you are short on time. So easy to make, but it results in such a fresh and vibrant dish.
More pasta recipes to try:
- One Pan Pasta
- Lemon Ricotta Pasta
- Caprese Pasta Salad
- Scallops with Pasta
- Arrabiata Pasta with Shrimp
- Chicken Fajita Pasta
If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Lemon Pasta recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
Lemon Pasta
Video
Ingredients
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley plus more for serving
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese optional
- black pepper for serving
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti in a pot of salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the cooking pasta liquid.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic, parsley, lemon zest and lemon juice. Add the cooking pasta liquid and parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Transfer the cooked spaghetti to the skillet with the pasta sauce and toss until well coated. Serve with extra parsley and parmesan cheese, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
- To make it gluten-free, you can use any gluten-free pasta of your choice.
- To make the sauce more creamy, you can add some milk instead of some of the water.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
I was really disappointed in this. I followed the recipe perfectly, but it tasted like nothing. I had to add extra lemon, a pat of butter, chili flakes, salt, and extra Parmesan to taste anything. I understand where the recipe is going but I had to tweak it severely.
Oh no! So sorry to hear it didn’t turn out how you had hoped. I wonder if maybe your lemon was on the smaller size? As for the seasoning, you are always encouraged to add as much as you like to my recipes! Love that you added chili flakes and butter, that sounds so good. Thanks for the feedback, McKenna!
We love this dish, I make it to go with my air fryer chicken thighs. It pretty much gets made every week. We were visiting friends in Arizona and they had a lemon tree with tons of lemons ready to pick. I brought a bunch home and now I want to make anything lemon. Can I make lemon pasta and freeze it? I know it’s better fresh but if I can freeze some using the lemons I got that would be great.
So happy you love this recipe, Sue!! And how lucky to have a friend with a lemon tree with extra lemons, that’s amazing! I haven’t tried freezing this pasta myself but I think it would keep well for up to 3 months. You can also just freeze the lemons themselves, if you prefer doing that and thawing them as needed. Hope you enjoy!!
Thanks, I will try both ways as I have so many and these lemons are huge. I love anything lemon. Thanks for the fast reply.
You’re welcome, Sue! Enjoy!!
Beginner-friendly! Literally have no idea what I’m doing in the kitchen, but even I managed to make do with this recipe.
I made it twice—once with pasta water, then with milk the second time. Personally, I prefer the creamier milk texture, but if you like a thinner dressing then go for the water!
Huge thanks to Yumna Jawad for answering my questions and making this recipe! Nice to have a go-to summer dish with a zingy flavour I can make in a pinch! Also tastes great the next day, though I used closer to 4/5 tablespoons of water to rehydrate the pasta! 🙂
Aww yay, I’m so happy you loved it!! It was my pleasure to answer your questions, Vincent. Thank you so much for your kind words and for reporting back how your pasta turned out! I hope you’ll let me know if you try any of my other recipes!
Hello! Looking to use leftover lemons from pancake day- how much juice and zest do you recommend I use? In the video it looks like a quick squeeze. Should I just add as much juice and zest as I can? Sorry if this is a silly question, I don’t have any experience cooking, and I’m looking to improve. Thank you 🙂
Not a silly question at all, Vincent! I use the juice and zest of 1 whole lemon in this recipe. Hope you enjoy!
Perfect!! And one more thing, it says I should substitute some of the water for milk if I want the sauce to be a bit creamier—how much do you think I should substitute? So so so stoked to try this, thank you tons!
You can replace the entire 1/2 cup of pasta water with milk if you want it to be extra creamy! Or, if you prefer, try 50/50 (1/4 cup pasta water and 1/4 milk) for a sauce that’s a bit creamier but still on the lighter side. You’re welcome, Vincent! I hope you enjoy!!
Could this be made with leftover pasta? What would you do about the pasta water, since it would have been discarded?
Good question. You can make a slurry with cornstarch, if you have it! Mix 1/8 teaspoon cornstarch, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 cup boiling water. You can also add the mixture to the microwave for 2 minutes, stir, and heat for 2 more minutes. Hope that helps!