Garlic and Lemon Pasta

Garlic Lemon Pasta in a bowl with a fork.

5 from 1 vote

A quick, easy and delicious Garlic and Lemon Pasta dish that can be made in just 20 minutes! We love this simple, minimal ingredient, flavor packed dish! It's the perfect weeknight meal, especially on those extra busy nights.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: dinner, lunch, Main Course, main dish

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 565kcal

Author: Teri & Jenny

Ingredients

breadcrumb topping

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon thinly sliced chives
1/2 teaspoon salt

pasta

12 ounces dry spaghetti or bucatini
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced shallots
4 thinly sliced garlic cloves
1 lemon zested and juiced plus more zest for garnish
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan plus more for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

breadcrumb topping

Place a large pan over medium heat and melt butter.
Add breadcrumbs and toast for 1 minute.
Stir in salt and chives. Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and set aside.

pasta

Place a large pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Once water is boiling, add a small handful of salt and spaghetti.
Cook spaghetti for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente. Strain pasta into a colander, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
Using a paper towel, wipe out the same pan used for breadcrumbs. Place pan over medium heat and add oil.
Add shallots and garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, just until the mixture becomes fragrant, but hasn’t started to brown.
Add lemon zest, juice and crushed pepper flakes and continue to cook for another 30seconds.
Add pasta and pasta water and toss together. Cook until half the liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. Add parmesan then season with salt and pepper and toss together until pasta is evenly coated.
Transfer pasta to serving bowls or plates and top with breadcrumb mixture, more lemon zest and more grated parmesan. Serve.

Notes

Tips and Tricks for Success

Don't forget to add a little bit of pasta water to the dish. It really helps to bring the dish together and add a slight creaminess to the overall meal.

Use fresh lemons for the juice/zest! The lemon flavor is such a big part of this pasta, that it really needs the fresh lemon to make it shine.

Storing Leftovers and Reheating

Our lemon pasta can be stored in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. To reheat, transfer pasta to a pan with a little bit of water and heat over medium-low heat until pasta has warmed through.

Nutrition