Lemon Pasta Recipe
This lemon pasta recipe is so simple yet delicious. It tastes good by itself or with any protein of your choice. It's so versatile and budget-friendly.
Ingredients
- 12 oz dried spaghetti, (or use linguine, and fettuccine)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- zest for one extra large lemon , (jumbo lemon), about 1 tablespoon
- 3 tablespoons freshly minced parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 6 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese, (and more for serving)
- a pinch red pepper flakes, (optional)
- salt and black pepper , (to taste)
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil, stir in the salt (see notes), then cook the pasta according to the product packaging. Transfer the cooked pasta to a large bowl then stir in the lemon juice. Reserve about ½ cup of pasta water to make the sauce.
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add red pepper chili flakes (if you use them), parsley, lemon zest, and garlic. Cook just until fragrant. Stir in the pasta water and allow the sauce to simmer.
- Add parmesan cheese and let it melt. Turn the heat to low then add cooked pasta. Stir until everything is combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper. Remove from the heat.
- Serve with extra parmesan cheese and fresh parsley if needed.
Notes
Please note that cooking time will vary depending on a variety of other factors, including types of pan and stove quality.
Salting pasta water. For this recipe, I used 1 tablespoon of kosher salt per 8 cups of water.
How to store the leftover. Let the pasta cool down to room temperature before refrigerating. Once the pasta is cooled, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate within 2 hours of preparation or 1 hour if the temperature is above 90 °F. Properly stored, the leftover will last 3-5 days in the fridge or 2-3 months in the freezer.
How to reheat the leftover. Place a single serving of the leftover lemon pasta in a microwave-safe bowl. Drizzle the pasta with a small amount of water then cover the dish with a microwave-safe lid. Cook for 1 minute at medium heat. If the pasta isn't warmed all the way through, stir it, and cook it again in 15-second increments until completely heated.
Nutrition
Calories: 298kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 9gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 92mgPotassium: 160mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 212IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 1mg
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