Lemon Pasta Recipe

lemon spaghetti in a pan with lemon slices.

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Make a simple lemon garlic butter sauce for your pasta, and enjoy this bright dish. There's nothing better than a zesty 20-minute pasta recipe!

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Dinner, Main Course, pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: bowls

Author: Becky Hardin

Ingredients

4 quarts water
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (⅜ stick)
2 tablespoons olive oil
16 ounces dry spaghetti (1 pound)
2 fresh lemons juiced and zested; zest divided
3 cloves garlic minced
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley Italian flat-leaf preferred

Optional Garnishes

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Fill a large pot with the water and add a tablespoon of coarse sea salt. Set over high heat and bring to a boil.
4 quarts water, 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
While you wait for the water to boil, melt the butter and olive oil in a large sauté pan set over low heat.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons olive oil
Once the water is boiling, add pasta.
16 ounces dry spaghetti
Add half the lemon zest (about 1 tablespoon) and all of the minced garlic to the melted butter.
2 fresh lemons, 3 cloves garlic
Set a timer for 5 minutes, and stir both the boiling pasta and the butter mixture frequently.
When the timer goes off, use the spaghetti server spoon to remove the pasta from the boiling water and add it directly into the pan with the cooking sauce.
Add the lemon juice and 1 cup of the pasta cooking water directly into the pan with the spaghetti.
Keep the pan on low heat and cook the pasta in the lemon sauce for 5 minutes. Toss the spaghetti several times while cooking to ensure the sauce evenly coats the pasta.
Check the pasta every few minutes until it finishes cooking, about 5 more minutes. Add ¼-½ cup of pasta cooking water if needed.
Once the pasta is cooked, turn off the heat and sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese, sea salt, and black pepper, mixing thoroughly.
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Separate the pasta onto 4 large serving plates and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley onto each serving.
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Serve hot, garnished with extra cheese, remaining lemon zest, olive oil, salt, and pepper, optional.
Olive oil, Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Notes

You can add some crushed red pepper flakes, fresh herbs (like rosemary or sage), or sautéed shallots to it if you want to give it a little more flavor and spice.
Nutritional information does not include optional garnishes.

Nutrition