Lemon Pasta Recipe
This lemon pasta recipe is made with spaghetti, fresh lemon, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and pasta water for a creamy lemon sauce without cream.
Servings: 8 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti cooked (with ½ cup pasta water reserved)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley plus more for serving
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt plus more for salting pasta water
- ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- Black pepper for serving
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti in a pot of salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and reserve ½ cup of the cooking pasta liquid.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic, parsley, and crushed red pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, cooking pasta liquid, and pasta, and cook until the pasta is heated through, about 1 minute.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese until it clings to the pasta.
- Serve with extra parsley and Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Video
Notes
- My Top Tip: Save your pasta water. You'll add some back to the pan with the lemon and garlic to make the sauce. The pasta water has starch, which helps the sauce stick to the pasta.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2–3 days. You can reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave. I recommend adding a tablespoon or two of water when reheating to loosen the sauce back up.
Nutrition
Serving: 2oz | Calories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 155mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 182IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 1mg
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