Lemon Pasta, or Pasta al Limone, is a quick and easy dish perfect for a weeknight meal. This recipe uses fresh lemon juice and zest to infuse the pasta with a bright and refreshing flavor. Fresh garlic and onion for texture and flavor enhancement.
Butter and extra virgin olive oil for depth and richness. In addition, this Lemon Pasta recipe can easily be customized by adding extras to the sauce, such as cooked bacon, shrimp, shredded rotisserie chicken, sauteed mushrooms, or even a few handfuls of baby spinach.
This recipe pairs perfectly with Garlic Bread and Caesar salad or Garden Salad. It serves about 6-8 people. 
How to Make Lemon Pasta
Note: The full instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
Start with a large pot of water, about 4 quarts. Bring it to a rapid boil. Add 2 tablespoons of kosher salt and drop in the pasta while the water is at a boil and give it a gentle stir. Stir it occasionally while it cooks.
Use the cooking time on the pasta package as a guide until just al dente. Drain the pasta. Just be sure to save about 1 cup of pasta water. If you have a pot with a colander insert, use it to drain the pasta.
If not, drain the pasta in a colander set in the sink. Heat a large (14-inch) saute pan, add the butter and extra virgin olive oil, and heat until the butter is melted.
Add the garlic, onion, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt and cook, stirring, until they caramelize, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the zest and juice of the two lemons.
Add 1 teaspoon of pepper and swirl the pan to combine. As soon as the pasta is cooked, lift the pasta out of the water with tongs, allowing most but not all of the water to drain back into the pot, and add all the pasta to the sauce.
Cook for one minute, adding pasta water to the sauce with a ladle, just enough to keep the Lemon pasta moist. Taste and adjust the salt if needed.
Transfer the Lemon Pasta to a serving platter or individual plates and top with grated parmesan cheese. Garnish with more lemon zest and chopped parsley, and squeeze a little lemon juice on top. Serve hot. Enjoy!
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- Creamy Pasta with mushroom and Caramelized Onions
- Tuna Pasta Casserole
- Beef Braciole with Buttered Pasta
- Baked Pasta
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📖 Recipe
Easy Lemon Pasta
Tools
Ingredients
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 1 pound dried Linguine Noodles
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Zest and juice of 3 large lemons
- 1 medium yellow onion , chopped
- 6 garlic cloves , thinly sliced or minced
- ½ cup fresh Italian parsley , chopped
For Serving:
- ½ cup Grated Parmesan for serving
- ¼ cup Chopped fresh Italian parsley for garnish
- 1 Lemon wedges & zest for garnish
Instructions
- Start with a very large pot of water, about 4 quarts. Bring it to a rapid boil. Add 2 tablespoons of kosher salt and drop in the pasta while the water is at a boil and give it a gentle stir. Stir it occasionally while it cooks. Use the cooking time on the pasta package as a guide to cook until just al dente.
- Drain the pasta. Just be sure to save about 1 cup of the pasta water. If you have a pot with a colander insert, use it to drain the pasta. If not, drain the pasta in a colander set in the sink.
- Meanwhile, heat a large (14-inch) saute pan, add the butter and extra virgin olive oil, and heat until the butter is melted. Add the garlic, onion, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt and cook, stirring, until they begin to caramelize about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the zest and juice of the two lemons. Add 1 teaspoon pepper and swirl the pan to combine. As soon as the pasta is cooked, lift the pasta out of the water with tongs, allowing most but not all of the water to drain back into the pot, and add all the pasta to the sauce.
- Cook for one minute, adding pasta water to the sauce with a ladle just enough to keep the pasta moist. Taste and adjust the salt if needed. Transfer the Lemon Pasta to a serving platter or individual plates and top with grated parmesan cheese. Garnish with more lemon zest, chopped parsley, and squeeze a little lemon juice on top. Serve hot. Enjoy!
Notes
- Microwave: Cover the pasta with a damp paper towel and microwave on high for 1-2 minutes or until heated.
- Stovetop: Heat the pasta in a saucepan over medium heat, adding a splash of water or broth to help rehydrate the pasta as it heats up. Stir occasionally until heated through.
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Transfer the pasta to an oven-safe dish and cover with foil. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
- Cook the pasta: You can cook it up to a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. To prevent the pasta from sticking together, toss it with olive oil or cooking spray before storing it.
- Chop the garlic and onion: You can chop the garlic and onion up to a day in advance and store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
- Juice and zest the lemons: You can juice and zest the lemons up to a day in advance and store the juice in a sealed container in the refrigerator. The zest can be stored in an airtight container or plastic bag.
- Make the sauce: You can make the sauce up to a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. When ready to serve, reheat the sauce in a large skillet over medium heat and add the cooked pasta.
- Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta until al dente, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Prepare the sauce: Prepare the sauce as the recipe directs, but leave out the pasta.
- Combine and store: Once the pasta and sauce have cooled to room temperature, combine them in a large freezer-safe container or resealable plastic bag. Seal tightly and label with the date.
- Freeze: Place the container or bag in the freezer and freeze for 2-3 months.
- Reheat: To reheat frozen Lemon Pasta, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Then, reheat it in a skillet or saucepan over medium heat, adding a splash of water or broth to help rehydrate the pasta as it heats up. Stir occasionally until heated through.
- Refrigerated Leftover Lemon Pasta, covered for up to 2 days; to reheat, cover with a damp paper towel and microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes or until hot.
- I do not recommend making it ahead; this recipe tastes best served fresh.
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
