Lemon garlic pasta is an easy and quick pasta recipe made with only a few simple ingredients. It hardly takes 15 minutes.
If you are looking for a quick lunch or dinner, this lemon garlic pasta or Pasta Al Limone is one of the best and quickest dishes to make in 15 minutes only. Lemon garlic pasta is a delicious, simple, and satisfying meal.
Lemon pasta is a simple Italian dish made only with a few simple ingredients. This is lighter and healthier too. The parmesan cheese makes this pasta cheesy and delicious with a tangy flavor from lemon juice and the zest. However, you can customize this pasta to vegan easily only by eliminating the parmesan cheese.
Ingredients to make lemon garlic pasta
Pasta - any long pasta will be good for this dish. Here I have taken spaghetti.
Lemon - Lemon is required for juice and zest. Add zest as per your taste preference. Lemon gives the dish a zesty, tangy flavor.
Garlic - add garlic generously since this enhances the flavor of the pasta.
Parmesan cheese - this adds a nice salty cheesy flavor to the pasta. This helps in creating a cheesy sauce for the pasta. But, you can skip the cheese part for vegan pasta. Instead use seasoned breadcrumbs to the pasta for a crunch in the pasta.
Fresh herbs - Fresh herbs like parsley and basil (optional).
Red pepper flakes - these flakes add a kick of spice to the pasta, balancing the overall taste.
Italian seasoning - this is optional and not necessary. But I have added the seasoning here for an extra boost of flavors.
How to Make Lemon Garlic Pasta?
In a large pot boil water adding a generous amount of salt. Then add the spaghetti and cook tender or al dente. Reserve some of the pasta water to use further in making the sauce. Remove the rest using a colander.
Heat olive oil in a pan. To this add the minced garlic, herbs, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, seasoning, lemon juice, and a ladle of pasta water. Mix and simmer it for 30 - 45 seconds on low heat. Add cooked spaghetti followed by some more pasta water. Then add the parmesan cheese and toss to mix them up.
Simmer for 1 - 2 minutes more on low flame. Add some more freshly chopped parsley, and more grated parmesan and serve hot.
Delicious lemon garlic pasta is ready in minutes. You can add some salt, pepper, and grated Parmesan cheese for extra taste. It's a light and refreshing meal, perfect for a quick dinner or a lunch.
Extra Tips
Use the long pasta. Some other varieties that work for this recipe are capellini, linguine, or angel hair pasta.
Don't toss the pasta water. Reserve the pasta water since that adds a nice flavor to the sauce. And the starch present in the water allows the lemon sauce to coat the spaghetti well.
Add more pasta water to the pasta if they look too much dry sauce. The sauce should be smooth and creamy.
Italian seasoning is not necessary in this recipe. But that adds a classic flavor in the pasta.
Drizzle some olive oil over the pasta while serving them.
Other Pasta Recipes
What can I serve with this pasta?
A few of these items pair up with this simple and classic lemon garlic pasta well and these are easy to prepare too.
Lemon Garlic Pasta
Lemon Garlic Pasta (Pasta Al Limone)
Equipment
- 1 pot
- 1 skillet
- 1 pasta spoon
- 1 bowl
Ingredients
- 200 gm spaghetti pasta
- 5 - 6 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil + some extra to drizzle on pasta
- ยผ cups parsley leaves finely chopped
- 8 - 10 basil leaves optional
- 1 lemon for juice and zest
- ยผ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot boil water adding a generous amount of salt.
- Then add the spaghetti and cook tender or al dente.
- Reserve 1 ยฝ cups of the pasta water to use further in making the sauce. Remove the rest using a colander.
- Heat olive oil in a pan.
- To this add the minced garlic, herbs, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, seasoning, lemon juice, and a ladle of pasta water.
- Mix and simmer it for 1 minute on low heat.
- Add cooked spaghetti followed by some more pasta water.
- Then add the parmesan cheese and toss to mix them up.
- Cook for 1 - 2 minutes more on low flame.
- Add some more freshly chopped parsley, and more grated parmesan and serve hot.
Notes
Extra Tips
Use the long pasta. Some other varieties that work for this recipe are capellini, linguine, or angel hair pasta. Reserve the pasta water since that adds a nice flavor to the sauce. And the starch present in the water allows the lemon sauce to coat the spaghetti well. Add more pasta water to the pasta if they look too much dry sauce. The sauce should be smooth and creamy. Italian seasoning is not necessary in this recipe. But that adds a classic flavor in the pasta. Drizzle some olive oil over the pasta while serving them.Nutrition
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