Tangy Lemon Pasta
Flavorful, tangy, and light, this simple lemon pasta without cream is a great 15 minute meal on a hot day. Use a good extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, and don’t skimp on the Parmesan cheese.
This is not quite the traditional spaghetti al limone, but a close version that is a tad less creamy, but still elegant and delicious. like using spaghetti in this lemon pasta, but angel hair pasta will work nicely as well.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- Kosher salt
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, more if needed
- 6 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, more to your liking
- Zest of 2 lemons
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese to finish, more to your liking, optional
Directions
- Cook the pasta. Cook 12 ounces spaghetti in a large pot of well-salted boiling water. Follow package instructions and cook until the pasta is al dente so that it is tender but still has a bite. This will take about 8 minutes.
- Make the lemon spaghetti sauce. About 5 minutes or so into cooking the pasta, start the lemon sauce. Heat 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet until shimmering. Add 6 large cloves minced garlic and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring the whole time, until fragrant. Add fresh lemon juice and about 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water.
- Combine the pasta with the sauce. Once the pasta is al dente, save more cooking liquid before draining it. Then add it to the skillet and toss. Remove from the heat and add 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, the zest of 2 lemons, and 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Toss again and add more pasta water and olive oil if necessary until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. You can garnish with more fresh parsley if you like. Spoon the pasta into bowls and serve hot!
This vegetarian spaghetti dish is super satisfying as is, but it pairs perfectly with chicken piccata! If you’re in the mood for seafood, toss in some sautéed shrimp for a little extra protein.
