Lemon Pasta Recipe

Creamy Lemon Pasta has a light sauce made with lemons, garlic, parmesan cheese, cream, olive oil and spices. This lemon spaghetti recipe is bright and tangy. It is a quick and easy meal to make! In the length of time it takes to boil and cook the pasta, the sauce will be done. This meal will be on your table in less than 30 minutes! This post has been updated from April 11, 2016 to improve the reader experience.

Easy Lemon Pasta Recipe

Lemon Pasta

Lemons, lemons everywhere!

It’s citrus season here in the valley. The farmer’s markets are full of oranges, grapefruit and lemons. In fact, just about everyone has lemons. Literally, you can’t give them away right now!

My MIL has a lemon bush, which is really a lemon tree that’s been shaped into a hedge. We always make sure we harvest the lemons every year. Have you ever picked lemons? If so, you know the branches are adorned with nasty thorns! Long sleeves and gloves are a must.

We collected a pile and have a whole refrigerator full! Now…. what to make? A couple of thoughts are Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup – always so good! Or maybe I should make Rosemary Lemon Roasted Potatoes which is a wonderful side dish or perhaps a Lemon Drop Martini. Yes… I think I should make that first and then ponder what’s next!

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When we harvested the lemons, they were really light, not heavy at all. I wondered if they would be any good, but boy was I wrong! What had happened was as the lemons began to dehydrate the flavor and color intensified.

They have aged like a fine wine! (Well maybe that’s pushing it a bit, but truly these lemons are spectacular!)  Here’s a picture of the lemons we picked (right) compared to a store bought lemon on the left.

Pretty amazing huh?

Lemon Spaghetti

Grocery List for Lemon Pasta Recipe

• garlic
• olive oil
• red pepper flakes
• pepper
• whipping cream
• fresh lemon juice
• lemon zest
• parmesan cheese
• basil and parsley for garnish
• spaghetti

I’ve made Lemon Spaghetti several times including when my folks visited last week. My Dad (who is not a pasta fan) even liked it! The flavors are bright, lemony and fresh. It’s very savory and just creamy enough – pasta perfection!

Lemon Spaghetti is tangy and creamy – so full of flavor!

Lemon Pasta Recipe

Step-by-step directions for making Lemon Pasta

1. Put a large pot of salted water on the stove to boil. When boiling, drop the spaghetti in and cook to al dente.
2. Prepare the sauce. Chop the garlic and place in a large deep fry pan over low heat with olive oil. Season with red pepper flakes and black pepper. Slowly sauté the garlic.
3. Next, add the lemon zest and whipping cream. Stir to combine.
4. When the pasta is done, remove the sauce from the heat and add the lemon juice. Transfer the cooked noodles to the sauce mixing well to combine. 
5. Top with shredded parmesan cheese and garnish with parsley & chopped basil.

Mix the pasta with the sauce well to combine all of the flavors!

Tips for making the BEST Lemon Pasta!

• Salt the pasta water well – how much salt is enough? For every six cups of water add a tablespoon of salt.
• Cook your pasta just short of al dente – the pasta will finish cooking in the sauce so you don’t want to overcook it!
• Save your pasta cooking liquid – that starchy water is perfect for loosening up the lemon cream sauce as it’s tossed with the pasta.
• Garnish with basil and parsley – the fresh herbs give it such a bright taste. Garnishing is optional but it’s something I would definitely recommend!

Easy Lemon Spaghetti

Lemons, garlic, parmesan cheese, cream, olive oil and some spices – that’s it! Couldn’t be any easier and it’s a delicious 30 minutes #MeatlessMeal!

More delicious pasta recipes from the blog!

• Butternut Squash Pasta
• Homemade Alfredo Sauce 30 Minute Meal
• Easy Spaghetti Sauce
• Recipe for Marinara Sauce
• Pasta Puttanesca

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Tongs to toss the pasta

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Lemon Pasta Recipe

Creamy Lemon Pasta has a light sauce made with lemons, garlic, parmesan cheese, cream, olive oil and spices. The lemon spaghetti recipe is bright and tangy. It is a quick and easy meal to make!

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Pasta, Vegetarian

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Pasta, Savory

Servings: 6 -8 servings

Calories: 268

Author: Souper Chef Deb from Bowl Me Over

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Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 cup parmesan cheese
• basil and parsley for garnish if desired
• 1 13.5 13.5 oz package spaghetti

Instructions

• Start by putting a large pot of salted water on the stove to boil. When it reaches a rolling boil, drop the spaghetti in and cook according to package directions to just al dente.
• While the pot is heating & spaghetti is cooking continue to prepare the sauce. Chop the garlic and place in a large deep fry pan over low heat with olive oil. Don't all the garlic to brown, this will make it bitter. Add the red pepper flakes and black pepper. Slowly sauté the garlic for about 10 minutes, along with the spices.
• Next add the lemon zest and whipping cream. Continue to stir and the flavors will slowly combine.
• When the pasta is done, turn the heat off from the sauce. Add in the lemon juice. Stir to combine, then begin transferring the cooked noodles to the sauce mixing well to combine. 
• Top the noodles with the shredded parmesan cheese and mix again. Garnish with parsley & chopped basil.

Nutrition

Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 281mg | Potassium: 78mg | Vitamin A: 590IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 228mg | Iron: 0.4mg