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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.
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.