This lemon pasta comes together in about 20 minutes and is full of bright lemon flavor in a delicious creamy sauce.
I love dishes that come together with just a handful of ingredients but are still big on flavor and impressive. Such is the case with this amazing lemon pasta. It is so simple to throw together, but absolutely delicious.
How to Make Lemon Pasta
Here is a brief overview of how this lemon garlic pasta recipe comes together. To see the full recipe, including all ingredients and their measurements, scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Cook the Pasta
Follow the directions on the package and be sure to set a timer so that the spaghetti only cooks until it is al dente. See all of my tips for cooking pasta here: How to Cook Pasta. Save one cup of the pasta cooking water before fully draining.
Make the Lemon Pasta Sauce
Sauté the garlic and lemon zest in butter, being careful not to burn them. Then stir in the reserved pasta water, fresh lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Put it All Together
Add the spaghetti to the skillet, tossing it with the lemon butter sauce to combine. Add in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese and toss. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Enjoy!
Variations
- Cut back on the lemon flavor: As mentioned in the recipe notes, if you like but do not love lemon flavor, cut the zest back to about one teaspoon. The zest of a full lemon is about one tablespoon.
- Add more lemon flavor: Of course, if you can never get enough lemon flavor, you can boost it in this lemon butter sauce for pasta by zesting and juicing the lemon before you begin cooking the pasta, and then throwing the rinds into the pasta water while your spaghetti cooks.
- Add protein: This pasta is delicious as is, but if you want to add some protein, cooked chicken or shrimp would work great.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store any leftover lemon butter pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in a small skillet on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth as needed to loosen it up.
What to Serve With Lemon Garlic Pasta
If you make this Lemon Pasta Recipe or any of my other recipes, leave a comment and let me know how you enjoyed it!
Lemon Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces spaghetti
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- zest of one lemon see note
- juice of one lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- dash freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the salt. Add in the spaghetti and cook for the length of time indicated on the box. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water.8 ounces spaghetti, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- As the spaghetti is finishing cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter. Add the garlic and lemon zest and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add in the lemon juice, 1/2 cup of the pasta water, salt, and pepper, whisking everything together.4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 garlic cloves, zest of one lemon, juice of one lemon, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, dash freshly ground black pepper
- Add the spaghetti to the skillet, tossing to combine. Add in the parmesan cheese and toss. If the cheese and pasta are sticking together too much, add a little more of the reserved pasta water to create a nice and smooth sauce. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Notes
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