This lemon garlic pasta is a bright, flavorful, and refreshing pasta dish. It takes 20 minutes to make, perfect for when you need something quick and easy to serve with dinner.
The pasta is coated generously in olive oil infused with garlic, red chili pepper flakes, and lemon zest. Finish with freshly squeezed lemon juice and fresh parmesan cheese.
During busy weeknight when I need quick sides to serve with dinner, I always go for this easy lemon garlic pasta! It’s just as good as these quick and delicious Buttered Egg Noodles!
This pasta dish is light in texture and filled with bright citrusy flavor. If you are looking for something similar with a creamy base, check out this Creamy Lemon Pasta.
This lemon garlic pasta is tossed olive oil infused with garlic, lemon zest, and chili flakes. It’s then finished with freshly squeezed lemon juice and freshly grated parmesan cheese to create a light sauce for the pasta!
It comes together in just 20 minutes, with minimal clean up. Plus, it reheats very well, so make a big batch and pack it up for lunch the next day!
For an elegant dinner, serve it with my easy Chicken Parmesan. If you’re craving something creamy, try it with Chicken Florentine, Creamy Lemon Chicken, or my current favorite – Creamy Honey Mustard Chicken!
Why I love making lemon garlic pasta:
- Pairs well with many proteins, especially chicken and shrimp!
- Simple ingredients, quick and easy. Nothing fancy here. Just good and simple.
- Amazing flavor. Lots of bright lemony and garlicky flavors here!
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Ingredient Notes
You only need a handful of pantry staple ingredients to make this simple pasta. Below are a few ingredient notes from recipe testing. Quantities are listed in the recipe card down below.
- Spaghetti pasta: Use any type of pasta, either long or short will do.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Use a good high quality olive oil for best results. This ingredient really shines in this recipe.
- Garlic and Italian parsley: Use fresh of both for best results.
- Red pepper chili flakes: For added heat, but totally optional.
- Lemon: You will need a whole lemon for the juice and the zest.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated parmesan cheese is recommended.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
This lemon garlic pasta is incredibly easy to make. It comes together in just 20 minutes. Here’s how I make it, plus some helpful tips.
Step 1 | Cook pasta
In a pot with generously salted water, cook spaghetti according to the package instructions until al dente. Save about a cup of the starchy pasta water for later.
Step 2 | Sauté aromatics
In a large skillet, heat a good amount of good olive oil, and sauté the minced garlic and red pepper chili flakes until fragrant. Then, stir in the lemon zest (lots of it!) for a few seconds. This takes about 1-2 minutes, so it’s quick.
Step 3 | Toss everything together
Add cooked pasta back into the skillet, then toss to coat with the lemon garlic infused oil. Squeeze in fresh lemon juice, plus add a splash of reserved pasta water as needed. Season with salt and pepper.
Finally, add the freshly grated parmesan cheese, tossing to combine. Garnish with chopped Italian parsley, as well as more lemon zest and parmesan cheese. And there you have it, a super easy lemon garlic pasta for dinner!
Tips for Success
- Use freshly grated parmesan cheese. Pre-packaged cheese can be gritty with the additional starches it comes with, so freshly grated is best.
- Be sure to reserve some pasta water. The starchy water will help thicken the light sauce, especially after adding the cheese.
- Don’t forget to zest lemon before squeezing out the juice.
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice (not bottled, if possible) and its zest for that vibrant citrusy flavor.
- Lots of freshly chopped parsley at the end add an even fresher flavor profile.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
I love making this lemon garlic pasta as a side dish, and pair with delicious proteins. Here are my favorite:
- Lemon Marinated Shrimp
- Chicken Parmesan
- Chicken Mozzarella Bake
- Spinach Stuffed Chicken
- Pan Seared Chicken Breast
- Chicken Margherita
If you need a side salad, this Lemon Arugula Salad is great! For something heartier, try my Italian Chopped Salad.
Recipe FAQs
Spaghetti, fettuccine, linguini, or angel hair pasta are great. Feel free to use short pastas too, such as rigatoni.
The sauce is pretty thin, just a light coating. If it looks too dry, stir in a splash of pasta water and a bit more olive oil. Adding Parmesan cheese will also help thicken it slightly. For a creamy option, add heavy creamy.
Yes! I really like asparagus, broccoli, or zucchini. I also like to add capers for extra tang!
More Weeknight Pasta Sides
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Lemon Garlic Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ pound spaghetti - or your favorite pasta
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil - plus more as needed
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper chili flakes - optional
- 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
- ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese - plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley - plus more for garnish
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot with generously salted water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water for later.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat about ¼ cup of olive oil and sauté minced garlic and red pepper flakes for about 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Then, stir in the lemon zest for just a few seconds.
- Add the cooked pasta into the skillet, tossing to coat. Then squeeze in fresh lemon juice, adjusting the amount to taste. Stir in some of the reserved pasta water and also more olive oil as needed for consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Toss in the freshly grated parmesan cheese, tossing to combine. Stir in the parsley.
- To serve, garnish with more cheese and parsley, as well as lemon zest if you’d like. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use good quality extra virgin olive oil. It really shines in this recipe.
- Use freshly grated parmesan cheese for best results. Pre-packaged comes with extra preservatives that can make it gritty when melted.
- Don’t forget to zest the lemon before squeezing it. I always forget!
- Storage: Place any leftovers in an airtight container then refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Place in a skillet over medium heat, add in a splash of water or olive oil to loosen. Heat until warmed through.
- Pasta: Spaghetti, fettuccine, linguini, angel hair, rigatoni, penne.
- Add ins: Bell peppers, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, black olives, capers.
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