Lemon Pasta

This simple dish is one of our favorite lemon recipes to date because of the straightforward ingredients and how incredibly versatile the recipe is. Want to make it a meal? Toss in grilled chicken for protein. Have lots of vegetables you need to use up? Add those in as well. Need a simple side that will use up the leftover lemons and that block of Parmesan cheese in your fridge? This lemon pasta works for that too.

Ingredients for Lemon Pasta

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• Angel hair pasta: Any other long pasta, like spaghetti or linguini, could also work in this lemon pasta recipe.
• Fresh parsley: The fresh herb is minced and sauteed to enhance the flavor of this dish. Don’t have fresh parsley on hand? Use a third of the amount of dried parsley for whatever fresh parsley is called for in your recipe.
• Lemon zest and lemon juice: The zest of a lemon is added to lean in to the lemon flavor of this dish. Then save the rest of the lemon—you’ll squeeze it for the lemon juice later!
• Garlic: It adds that aromatic flavor to the dish and balances well with the lemon.
• Olive oil: The oil binds together the ingredients for this lemon pasta and adds that fatty texture to the dish.
• Parmesan cheese: Cheese is sprinkled in to finish the taste of this lemon pasta recipe. Feel free to freshly grate the cheese for the best results!

Directions

Step 1: Make the sauce

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Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the parsley, lemon zest and garlic in oil until the garlic becomes tender.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t forget to season your pasta water with salt before adding the dried pasta for a better tasting result!

Step 2: Combine all the ingredients

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Drain the pasta, then add it to the skillet with the garlic. Sprinkle it with the lemon juice, salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Top with Parmesan cheese before serving.

Molly Bolton for Taste of Home

Lemon Pasta Variations

• Add chicken: Make this lemon pasta a full meal by tossing in cooked chicken, whether it be grilled chicken you made yourself, or meat you pulled from a grocery store rotisserie chicken.
• Or add a vegetable: This lemon pasta is a great base for a hearty vegetable pasta dish. Toss in cooked peas, chopped zucchini or summer squash, roasted asparagus or even cherry tomatoes.
• Swap the parsley with basil: Or use both! This recipe can be adapted to whatever herbs you have on hand.

How to Store Lemon Pasta

If you have any lemon pasta left over, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

How do you reheat lemon pasta?

For the best results, toss the lemon pasta in a warm skillet to break up the starches and warm it up. Adding in some water will help to loosen the sauce and the noodles that have likely stuck together in the fridge.

Lemon Pasta Tips

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How do you soften the lemon taste in pasta?

If all that lemon is making the pasta a little too sour for your liking, you can cut the tang with some sweetness, like a sprinkle of sugar or even a drizzle of honey.

Why is my lemon pasta lumpy?

If the basic sauce of this lemon pasta is looking a little lumpy, you can always loosen it up with some reserved pasta water. The starch in the pasta water will thicken the sauce. Drizzle some into the lemon pasta as you’re tossing it together with the Parmesan cheese toward the end.

What do you serve with lemon pasta?

This recipe for lemon pasta works well as a side dish to accompany any main entree, like chicken, fish or pork. Feel free to use it as a starchy side for any meal, or make it the main event by tossing in a protein.