Creamy Lemon Pasta Recipe [easy, no cream, no butter]

You catch the smell through the steam vent and suddenly you are starving. That fresh lemony zing with garlic and olive oil hits your nose and you know dinners gonna be good. This Easy Lemon Pasta recipe kinda sneaks up on you with how fast it fills your kitchen with yum.

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Sometimes you forget how great a simple pasta dish can be. You spot those lemons sitting on your counter and remember you got some spaghetti too. With just a few flavors, you can turn regular pasta into something special real quick.

And heres the thingits a pressure cooker recipe which means you get the speed and that tender pull to the noodles thats just right. Youre gonna love tossing this pasta up with lemon, parsley, and a little kick from red pepper flakes. Its an easy one that tastes like you spent way more time on it.

What Makes Pressure Cooking Win Every Round

• Locks in loads of flavor by sealing your ingredients under pressure.
• Speeds up cooking time so you eat quicker.
• Softens pasta to a perfect tender pull without mushiness.
• Lets you do a natural release for even better texture on your noodles.
• One pot cooking means fewer dishes to wash after.

Your Simple Ingredient Checklist

Start with 12 ounces of spaghetti because its gonna be the main star here. Grab some kosher salt to season your pasta water just right. Dont forget a good splash of extra virgin olive oil for that smooth flavor.

You gotta have 6 large garlic cloves mincedthey bring the garlic punch you need. Then theres the ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes but add more if youre feeling a bit spicy. Two lemons come nextzest em and juice one for bright, fresh lemon flavor.

Half a cup of fresh parsley chopped is your herb boost. Then some black pepper to season it up. If youre feeling fancy add ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese or more to your liking. Thats pretty much it.

How It All Comes Together Step by Step

First, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cooking the pasta al dente is key so keep your eyes on the clock and follow package instructions but usually about 8-9 minutes. Before you drain, scoop out 1 cup of that pasta water and save it for later.

Next, heat a large skillet on medium and drizzle plenty of extra virgin olive oil. Toss in your minced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Saute9 for 1-2 minutes until you catch that fragrant smell filling your kitchen.

Then add lemon zest and juice straight to the skillet. Stir it around and let that simmer for about a minute. It kinda wakes the flavors up and gets everything mingling.

Add your drained spaghetti to the skillet and toss it well so every noodles coated. Slowly add your reserved pasta water bit by bit. This should help make a glossy sauce that clings nicely without being runny.

Stir in chopped parsley and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Taste it and adjust if you wanna pull more of that lemon or spice.

If you wanna get cheesy, nows the time to sprinkle Parmesan over the top. Toss it all up till melted and blended in.

Finally, serve it hot with extra parsley and Parmesan if you like. Enjoy the juicy, bright flavors that come alive as soon as you dive in.

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Time Savers That Actually Work

If youre cutting corners, start by keeping a jar of pre-minced garlic handy. It seriously saves peeling and chopping time. Also, you can zest lemons ahead and stash that in your fridge for up to a few days.

Boiling water faster is always a winuse a hot kettle to pour into your pot instead of cold tap water. For rinsing pasta, no need to do itthe starch helps your sauce stick better.

Lastly, dont wait for the natural release on the pasta water. Go for a quick release to get your sauce going faster once your noodles are done.

When You Finally Get to Eat

The first forkful hits your tongue with a burst of bright lemon and garlic that makes you smile instantly. The pasta feels tender but with a nice bite thats all about that perfect tender pull.

You can taste the little pop of red pepper flakes adding gentle heat and the fresh parsley brings a green, herby brightness thats super fresh. The olive oil wraps everything up smooth and silky.

If you added Parmesan it melts in and mixes with the lemon to give a creamy, savory note. Youre gonna find yourself twirling noodles and going back for one more plate real quick.

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Making It Last All Week Long

First, store your leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge. It keeps well for about 3-4 days so you got ready-to-eat meals for the week. You gonna wanna reheat it gently thoughlow heat and stirring is your friend to keep pasta from drying out.

For freezing, toss your pasta with a bit of olive oil before packing it in freezer-safe bags. That stops it from sticking together. It can last for a month and you just thaw overnight in the fridge.

If you want to get creative, you can turn leftovers into a baked pasta dish. Add some extra cheese and a drizzle of olive oil before popping it under the broiler for a few minutes. It tastes great and feels like a totally new meal.

What People Always Ask Me

Can I use other pasta types? Yep, you can swap spaghetti for linguine, fettuccine, or even penne. Just adjust cook times because thicker pasta needs more tender pull.

Why do I save pasta water? The starchy water helps your lemon sauce stick to noodles and keeps everything silky.

Whats this sealing ring thing I keep hearing about? Its the rubber ring that helps your pressure cooker seal tight so no steam escapes while cooking. Make sure its clean and seated right or your cooker wont pressurize.

Quick release or slow release for pasta? Quick release is best so you dont overcook noodles and keep that al dente texture.

Can I skip Parmesan? Totally, its optional but adds a nice savory boost if youre into that.

Natural release or not? For this pasta, natural release isnt needed once cookings done. Just quick release gets you right to tossing your sauce.

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Easy Lemon Pasta

A fresh, quick and bright lemon spaghetti packed with garlic, parsley, and olive oil for flavor—ready in under 20 minutes.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 17 minutes mins

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 4 people

Calories 353 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Mixing bowl Large

Ingredients

  

Main ingredients

• 12 oz Spaghetti
• Kosher salt to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil as needed
• 6 Garlic cloves large, minced
• 0.5 teaspoon Crushed red pepper flakes plus more to taste
• 2 Lemons zest both and juice one
• 0.5 cup Parsley fresh, chopped
• Black pepper to taste
• 0.25 cup Grated Parmesan cheese optional, plus more to taste

Instructions

 

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti to al dente, about 8 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain pasta.
• Heat a large skillet over medium. Add olive oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
• Add zest and juice of lemons to skillet. Stir and let simmer about a minute.
• Add drained spaghetti to skillet, tossing to coat. Gradually add reserved pasta water to create glossy sauce.
• Stir in chopped parsley. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
• Sprinkle Parmesan over pasta and toss until melted and incorporated, if using.
• Serve immediately with extra parsley and Parmesan, if desired.

Notes

Leftovers will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge. Reheat over low heat and stir to avoid drying out. For freezing, coat with a bit of olive oil and freeze for up to 1 month.