Lemon pasta made with fresh lemon juice, butter, and garlic is bright, delicious, and tastes so darn fancy with almost no work!
This lemon pasta recipe is on the table in just 15 minutes and will blow your taste buds away! Serve it with our roasted spatchcock chicken and a side of cabbage steaks.
Lemon Pasta
Lemon Pasta
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Why you’ll love this recipe!
📌 A simple and quick dish that is on the table in about 15 minutes.
📌 Easy to turn into a full meal by adding cooked meat and your favorite veggies.
📌 Perfect for busy night dinners.
Ingredients
- Pasta – We love angel hair in this recipe, but you can use any shape noodle you prefer.
- Butter – Salted.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic, minced.
- Lemon juice – Fresh squeezed lemon juice.
- Seasoning – Salt and cracked black pepper.
- Garnish – Fresh parsley, grated parmesan cheese.
Fresh lemon juice, butter, garlic, pasta.
Step-by-step directions
⭐ First, cook pasta to al dente. Drain, but reserve some of the pasta water.
⭐ Next, in a large skillet sauté garlic in butter until fragrant. Add the pasta to the skillet and toss to coat.
⭐ Then, stir in reserved pasta water, and add the lemon juice, toss to coat. If desired, simmer to cook off excess liquid.
⭐ Finally, season to taste with salt and fresh cracked black pepper.
Scroll down to the printable recipe card toward the bottom of this article for ingredient measurements and detailed cooking instructions.
Make sure to watch the garlic closely, you only want to cook it until fragrant.
Preparation
What kind of noodle in a lemon pasta recipe?
Angel hair is what the recipe official calls for, but any shape pasta will work fine. Remember that angel hair cooks much quicker than regular spaghetti noodles!
Does lemon pasta contain cream?
This recipe as written does not contain cream, but if you want it creamy, go ahead and stir some in at the end! Yum!
Can you add meat to lemon pasta?
Absolutely, this dish is delicious with pan cooked chicken or shrimp. It’s also a great place to toss in leftover grilled flank steak or broiled flank steak.
This dish is a great one to wow guests!
Leftovers and storage
How long does lemon spaghetti last?
Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to 3 days.
How do you reheat?
To reheat leftovers bring a small amount of water (just enough to cover the bottom of your pan) to a simmer over medium heat in a skillet.
Add pasta and stir with tongs to loosen. Continue cooking just until pasta is heated through.
That parsley just makes the whole thing pop!
Tips, tricks, and frequently asked questions
✅ Finish with fresh cracked black pepper, grated parmesan, and chopped parsley.
✅ Top with red pepper flakes for a kick.
✅ Add your favorite protein and veggies to make it a full meal.
✅ Make it gluten free by using zucchini noodles or microwaved spaghetti squash!
Top with fresh grated parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper.
What to eat with lemon pasta (serving suggestions)
Enjoy this as a side dish next to your smoked chicken thighs or grilled pork chops. Serve with classic creamed peas or roasted asparagus, and don’t forget a hearty helping of strawberry fluff for dessert!
If you want it creamy, go ahead and stir up to a half cup of heavy cream into the dish before serving.
More delicious pasta recipes
- Spaghetti carbonara
- Caprese pasta salad
- Pumpkin pasta recipe
- Chicken alfredo bake
- See all our easy pasta dinner recipes!
Other awesome lemon recipes
- Lemon garlic mussels
- Lemon poke cake recipe
- Lemon mousse recipe
- Frosted lemonade
- Lemon pudding cookies
- See all our recipes made with lemon!
Oh, that twirl!
Tools we love
- Enameled cast iron pot – I love this pot for our one pot meals, soups, and so much more!
- Wooden spatula – My wooden spatulas are my absolute favorite to stir with. I don’t know why, but I feel like a real cook when I use them.
😍😍😍
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How to Make Lemon Pasta
Lemon Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound angel hair pasta
- 4 tablespoons butter salted
- 2 cloves garlic fresh/minced
- ½ cup lemon juice fresh
- salt & pepper to taste
- optional garnishes grated parmesan, fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Prepare angel hair pasta to al dente, according to package directions. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water and set it aside. Then drain remaining liquid.
- In a large skillet over medium heat melt butter, then sauté garlic in the butter until fragrant, about 30 - 60 seconds.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat.
- Stir in the reserved pasta water and add the lemon juice, toss to coat. If desired, simmer to cook off excess liquid.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with grated parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley.
Notes
- Serves 4 - 6 as a side dish or 2 - 4 as a main dish.
Nutrition
Lemon Pasta
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Jennifer says
Soo yummy & full of flavor! Loved this pasta!
Kara says
I garnished mine with plenty of fresh parmesan cheese. Oh my gosh, so fresh and tasty!
Melissa says
Quick and easy – my family is already asking me to make this again! Delicious, thank you!