Lemon Spaghetti Recipe
A quick and vibrant Italian lemon spaghetti recipe made with fresh lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and parmesan. Perfect for weeknights yet elegant enough for guests.
Print Pin Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 420kcal
Cost: $12
Equipment
- 1 Large 8-quart pot For boiling pasta
- 1 12-inch skillet Wide surface area for tossing pasta
- 1 Microplane grater For fine lemon zest
- 1 Kitchen tongs Toss spaghetti evenly
- 1 Ladle For scooping pasta water
- 1 Box or rotary grater Freshly grate parmesan
- 1 Chef's knife For mincing garlic & herbs
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti Bronze-cut preferred
- 3 large lemons Use zest + juice
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil Use good quality
- 4 cloves garlic Minced
- 1 cup parmesan cheese Freshly grated
- ½ cup pasta water Reserved from pot
- salt & black pepper To taste
- fresh basil leaves For garnish
Optional Add-ins
- ¼ cup heavy cream For extra creamy sauce
- red pepper flakes For spice
- 2 tablespoon capers Adds briny flavor
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts For crunch
Instructions
- Boil water with salt, zest and juice lemons, mince garlic, grate cheese, tear basil leaves.
- Cook spaghetti until al dente, reserve 1 cup pasta water, drain without rinsing.
- Heat olive oil, sauté garlic, add lemon juice + zest, whisk parmesan + pasta water until smooth.
- Add spaghetti to skillet, toss with sauce, add more pasta water as needed, season to taste.
- Garnish with basil and extra parmesan, serve hot.
Notes
- Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Nutrition
Serving: 250g | Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 240mg | Potassium: 210mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 350IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 180mg | Iron: 2mg