Lemon Spaghetti or Garlic Lemon Pasta is made without cream but trust me when I say this sauce is creamy delicious. Made with fresh lemon juice and zest, this light pasta dish is a Mediterranean recipe you will adore.
Can I just tell you about this amazing dish real quick? Of course you can use heavy cream in this recipe, but why would you when it's so simple and thickens up so nicely? Lemon Garlic Pasta Sauce is a recipe you will love for years and years to come.
I'll walk you through exactly how I make it and I'll also include directions to use the Instant Pot, electric pressure cooker, as well. But however you choose to make it, just know that when using fresh lemons, lemon zest and quality pasta, this is a dish you will truly love.
Ingredients for Lemon Pasta recipe
Noodles. I like Linguini, yes, I know I call this Lemon Spaghetti but I still like to use Linguini.
Fresh Ingredients. Garlic, Basil, Lemons and Zest
Cheese. Romano or Parmesan Cheese
Seasonings. Salt and Pepper
How to make Lemon Butter Sauce for Pasta
Let's begin by gathering ingredients, and the supplies you will need. It's helpful to have everything easily accessible when getting started as this recipe really doesn't take much time at all.
Stove Top Directions for Garlic Lemon Pasta
Boil noodles in a large pot of water. Make sure to add salt to water before adding noodles. Cook noodles according to package direction by cutting time by 2 minutes.
If the package says to cook for 10 minutes. Then only cook pasta for 8 minutes in boiling water. The additional time will be cooked in a skillet.
Meanwhile, let's zest an entire large lemon. All that delicious zest will come in nicely. Then juice 2 lemons making sure to remove any seeds. Finely grate Romano Cheese and wash fresh basil.
Over medium to high heat, heat Olive Oil or Butter. Add minced garlic and quickly saute. Being careful to not overcook as garlic tends to burn quickly.
Once pasta has cooked for allotted time and reached al dente. Carefully remove pasta from water and place in skillet making sure to reserve 1 cup of pasta water cooking liquid. This is important because pasta water is filled with starches that will help to thicken the delicious garlic lemon butter pasta sauce.
Toss the noodles with the garlic and add the reserved pasta water allowing the noodles to cook for the additional 2 minutes.
This start to move quickly here, let's add half the lemon juice and at least 1 tablespoon of lemon zest right into the noodles along with some fresh basil. Now allow all these ingredients to simmer together. Can you smell the lemon? It's wonderful!
As the time winds down on those final 2 minutes, go ahead and add the remaining lemon juice and finely grated Romano cheeses. Stir together allowing cheese to melt.
Serve pasta on a plate and garnish with additional lemon zest and basil. Extra cheese can also be used as well. Season with pepper to taste
Your Pasta al Limone is complete! Mmmmm, it's scrumptious.
Instant Pot Directions for Lemon Pasta Recipe
Add water with salt to Instant Pot liner and carefully layer pasta in a criss cross method in the liquid. Place lid on. Seal pressure value and set Instant Pot to 3 minutes. Allowing for a 3 minute natural pressure release.
While Instant Pot is pressure cooking take the time to wash fresh herbs, grate cheese, and zest and juice lemons.
Open pressure value when cook time is complete and drain liquid making sure to reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
Heat Instant Pot using the Satue button and wait until it reads hot. Add Olive Oil or melt the Butter and minced garlic to saute until just golden.
Add pasta and 1 cup reserved liquid and allow pasta to saute for the 1-2 minutes. Most of the liquid will evaporate or absorb into the noodles.
Stirring occasionally as needed and add lemon juice and zest and continue to saute. Add fresh cut herbs to pasta and continue to stir.
Just before cooking time is complete, add freshly grated cheese. Cheese will melt with heat.
Serve pasta on plate and garnish with lemon zest, basil and extra cheese if desired. Season with pepper to taste
Substitutions.
There are many substitutions and I'm happy to share my tips!
Pasta. Try Spaghetti, Linguini, Fetechini, or any pasta you prefer
Herbs. In this recipe you can substitute Fresh Mint for Basil. Although I do prefer Basil.
Cheese. Romano Cheese is preferred but a good Parmesan Cheese is also excellent
Where did Lemon Pasta Originate?
Let me tell you that during my visit to the Amalfi Coast I saw the most beautiful lemons ever. They were so fragrant and delicious on every dish we tried. It's no wonder that this pasta dish came from the Sorrento Peninsula.
Lemons are grown in all the southern Italian Regions but most will agree that they are the best from the Amalfi Coast.
Fun Fact.
Limone is the Italian word given to Lemon Trees or Lemons. I think it's such a beautiful language and only wish I could speak it.
Friday #LemonWeek Recipes
- Lemon Poppy Seed Sweet Rolls by Fresh April Flours
- Grilled Chicken Piccata by Palatable Pastime
- Creamy Lemon Smoothie Recipe by Blogghetti
- Gluten Free Lemon Bars by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Lemon Tarragon Salmon by Art Of Natural Living
- Meyer Lemon Vanilla Shortbread Cookies by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Lemon Poppy Seed Thumb Print Cookies by Cheese Curd In Paradise
- Lemon Pasta by Devour Dinner
- Lemon Blueberry Cookies by Best Cookie Recipes
- Lemon Tea Bread by The Freshman Cook
- Homemade Lemon Cake by Simply Inspired Meals
- Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake by The Fresh Cooky
- Lemony Shrimp Pasta by A Day In The Life On The Farm
- Rosemary Watermelon Lemonade by The Spiffy Cookie
- Lemon Crumb Muffins with Lemon Glaze by An Affair From The Heart
- Lemon Poppy Seed Cake by Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog
- Ina Garten's Lemon Chicken by Jen Around The World
- Lemon Ice Cream by Lemon Blossoms
- Lemon Sour Cream Pound Cake by Home Cooked Harvest
- Grilled Lemon Herb Flatbread by That Recipe
- Lemon Meringue Cheesecake by The Redhead Baker
- Oven Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken and Gnocchi by Jonesin’ For A Taste
- Dragonfruit Lemonade by Magical Ingredients
Garlic Lemon Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Linguini Pasta
- 2 Lemons
- Fresh Basil
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- ½ Cup Ramano Cheese Finely Grated
- Lemon Zest
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
Instructions
Stove Top Directions
- Boil noodles in a large pot of water. Make sure to add salt to water before adding noodles. Cook noodles according to package direction by cutting time by 2 minutes. If the package says to cook for 10 minutes. Then only cook pasta for 8 minutes in boiling water. The additional time will be cooked in a skillet.
- Over medium to high heat, heat Olive Oil or Butter. Add minced garlic and quickly saute. Being careful to not overcook as garlic tends to burn quickly.
- Once pasta has cooked for allotted time and reached al dente. Carefully remove pasta from water and place in skillet making sure to reserve 1 cup of pasta water cooking liquid.
- Toss the noodles with the garlic and add the reserved pasta water allowing the noodles to cook for the additional 2 minutes.
- add half the lemon juice and at least 1 tablespoon of lemon zest right into the noodles along with some fresh basil.
- As the time winds down on those final 2 minutes, go ahead and add the remaining lemon juice and finely grated Romano cheeses. Stir together allowing cheese to melt.
- Serve pasta on a plate and garnish with additional lemon zest and basil. Extra cheese can also be used as well. Season with pepper to taste
Instant Pot Directions
- Add enough water to cover pasta with salt to Instant Pot liner and carefully layer pasta in a criss cross method in the liquid. Place lid on. Seal pressure value and set Instant Pot to 3 minutes. Allowing for a 3 minute natural pressure release.
- While Instant Pot is pressure cooking take the time to wash fresh herbs, grate cheese, and zest and juice lemons.
- Open pressure value when cook time is complete and drain liquid making sure to reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- Heat Instant Pot using the Satue button and wait until it reads hot. Add Olive Oil or melt the Butter and minced garlic to saute until just golden.
- Add pasta and 1 cup reserved liquid and allow pasta to saute for the 1-2 minutes. Most of the liquid will evaporate or absorb into the noodles.
- Stirring occasionally as needed and add lemon juice and zest and continue to saute. Add fresh cut herbs to pasta and continue to stir.
- Just before cooking time is complete, add freshly grated cheese. Cheese will melt with heat.
- Serve pasta on plate and garnish with lemon zest, basil and extra cheese if desired. Season with pepper to taste
Kay Dimmell
I roast 1 full head garlic and add to sauce. Much more flavourful.
Also, I use fresh pasta always!
Devour Dinner
Fresh pasta is wonderful if you have the time to make it.
The Freshman Cook
What a beautiful dish! Pasta is one of my favorites!
msSally
Looks delicious! Just waiting till time for your Facebook Live!
Radha
This is one of our loved pasta! We love the bright and bold flavors of lemon and garlic pasta.
Inger
Simple and flavorful makes this perfect!
Sue
I love the light nature of this. Perfect as a side dish for seafood!
Jennifer
This is my all time favorite pasta dish. Lemon really enhances the flavor.
Lynn @ Fresh April Flours
This dish was really good! I actually halved the recipe really easily and it totally hit the spot! I followed the recipe as written, but only had fresh Parmesan and used that instead of the Romano. Will be making it again!
Karen's Kitchen Stories
It's amazing how delicious lemon makes pasta!
Tristin
I know what I am making for dinner tonight!! YUM!!
Hezzi-D
The lemon and cheese in this pasta sound incredible!
Simply Inspired Meals
This sounds like a nice, light dinner, love it!
Kathleen
Vibrant, fresh, delicious AND EASY! A win-win recipe every time!
Kathryn
This lemon pasta is going to be on my dinner rotation menu all summer long! Love it!
Lisa
Love this pasta...it's light with flavor yet packs a punch from the lemon.
Wendy Klik
Nothing better than a quick pasta recipe when you come home with the hangries.