Thin spaghetti tossed with lemon, garlic, parsley and parmesan makes this Easy Lemon Garlic Pasta a quick, flavorful meal or side dish. Ready in under 20 minutes, it’s a weeknight winner when dinner needs to be fast and satisfying.
Lemon Garlic Spaghetti
This lemon garlic pasta is a simple, flavorful option for busy evenings. The bright lemon and fresh parsley lift the dish while garlic and parmesan add satisfying depth. Pair it with roasted asparagus, grilled chicken or shrimp, or a side of steamed broccoli for a complete meal.
How to make Lemon Garlic Pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook thin spaghetti or angel hair according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water.
In a skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil and add minced garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 30–45 seconds—avoid browning the garlic. Add the juice and zest of one lemon to the pan and stir to combine.
Toss the cooked pasta with the lemon-garlic oil, adding a splash of reserved pasta water (about 1/4 cup) to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the noodles. Finish by stirring in chopped parsley and grated parmesan, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Ingredients needed for Lemon Garlic Sauce
Simple ingredients deliver great flavor. For this recipe you will need:
- Thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta
- Olive oil
- Garlic (minced)
- Lemon (juice and zest)
- Parmesan (grated)
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley (chopped)
- Salt and pepper
- Reserved pasta water
This recipe is perfect when you need dinner on the table quickly: thin spaghetti, lemon, parsley and parmesan combine into a bright, comforting dish in under 20 minutes. Enjoy!
Lemon Garlic Pasta Recipe
15 mins
8
162 kcal
Sarah Alvord, Feeding Your Fam
Ingredients
- 16 oz thin spaghetti
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup parmesan, grated
- Juice of one lemon
- Zest of one lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water and drain the rest.
- In a skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil and sauté the minced garlic until fragrant, about 45 seconds.
- Add the lemon juice and lemon zest to the pan and stir to combine with the garlic oil.
- Toss the cooked pasta with the lemon sauce, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen and help the sauce coat the noodles.
- Stir in the chopped parsley and grated parmesan.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 19 g |
Protein: 6 g |
Fat: 7 g
Dinner, Main Course, Side Dish
American, Comfort Food, Italian
Lemon Garlic Pasta
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