Simple Lemon Pasta Recipe (2024)

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Simple Lemon Pasta Recipe (1)

Last Updated on February 15, 2022 by Anne-Marie

A simple lemon pasta recipe that's a delightful pairing of creamy sauce, pasta, and lemon flavors. Easy to adapt to vegan and gluten-free diets.

Simple Lemon Pasta Recipe (2)

Why this recipe works

This Simple Lemon Pasta Recipe makes an easy weeknight meal.Easy to adapt for vegan and gluten-free diets, it’s become a family favorite.

It was inspired by a blogger challenge, where I recreated a recipe from Jen Around the World. (With permission of course!)

My husband, Paul, loved it so much he told me it was one of his favorite recipes I’d ever created!

Simple Lemon Pasta Recipe (3)

Simple Lemon Pasta

This recipe for lemon pasta sauce is easy to modify if you are vegan, dairy-free, or gluten-free – or all the above!

With only a few ingredients, it’s also ideal for those last minute meals that take little time to prepare.

For a heartier meal, grill up some chicken breasts and make Lemon Pasta with Chicken. Or sauté a bag of frozen asparagus and make Lemon Pasta with Asparagus.

See how versatile this recipe is?

Simple Lemon Pasta Recipe (4)

How to make dairy free lemon pasta

For those who need to have a dairy-free or vegan recipe, here are a few simple substitutions that keep the recipe compliant while maintain its integrity.

Substitute my Vegan Tofu Sour Cream Recipe or Tofutti Sour Cream for regular sour cream.

Use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan cheese if you need a vegan option.

A dairy free or vegan butter spread like Earth Balance is an easy (and delicious) option.

Simple Lemon Pasta Recipe (5)

Making this a low-fat lemon pasta

If you can have dairy, lighten this recipe for Lemon Pasta Sauce by using either a low-fat sour cream or a non-fat Greek yogurt.

I prefer the Greek yogurt since it’s tastier and sometimes low-fat sour creams can contain sketchy filler ingredients that you may want to avoid.

Another fat reducing tip is to use a low-fat buttery spread.

Sometimes when lowering fat in a recipe, you may need to amp up the flavor.

Adding capers to this recipe would work wonderfully and have a similar flavor profile to chicken piccata.

(Capers are also delicious in salads, so don't worry about the leftovers!)

Simple Lemon Pasta Recipe (6)

Gluten free lemon pasta suggestions

While I used whole wheat pasta for this version, you can easily use gluten-free pasta.

There are so many terrific brands on the market these days. Even the store brands are delicious and cook up well.

My kids aren’t gluten-free and I can manage to get them to eat my GF pasta with this yummy lemon pasta sauce and a hearty helping of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Do you have a favorite cheese grater? I love the Zesty Citrus Lemon Zester & Cheese Grater. I’ve had it for over four years now and it works great for both cheese and citrus!

More easy pasta recipes for dinner

Pasta is one of my all-time favorite options for fast and easy meals.

There are so many options for dressing up a pasta recipe. Plus, they’re easy to modify to make them gluten or dairy free.

If you like pasta as much as we do, you’ll love these Crock-Pot Baked Ziti Recipe, Instant Pot Lasagna, and Instant Pot Spaghetti recipes. All can be made vegetarian with substitutions.

Or try Pasta with Cannellini Beans and Italian Vegetables for a quick and easy dinner.

Yield: 4 SERVINGS

Simple Lemon Pasta Recipe

Simple Lemon Pasta Recipe (7)

A simple lemon pasta recipe that's a delightful pairing of creamy sauce, pasta, and lemon flavors. Easy to adapt to vegan and gluten-free diets.

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time20 minutes

Total Time30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 box pasta (any variety)
  • 4 tablespoons butter or buttery spread
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 lemon, juiced and zested
  • 2 cups sour cream, vegan sour cream, or non-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
  • Flat-leaf parsley, chopped – to taste for garnish, plus extra for serving

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta al dente in salted water. Drain, rinse, and place pasta back in the pot. Place lid on the pot to keep pasta warm. Set aside.
  2. Juice one lemon into a bowl. Strain to remove pulp and seeds.
  3. In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over medium-low heat. When butter is melted, add minced garlic and lemon juice. Turn off the heat.
  4. Add your sour cream (or vegan sour cream substitute) to the butter and oil mixture. Add lemon zest and salt. Stir everything together and taste. Add more salt if necessary.
  5. Pour sour cream mixture over drained pasta. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of water.
  6. Place pasta in a large serving bowl and then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley.
  7. Serve with extra grated cheese and parsley on the side.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 541Total Fat: 46gSaturated Fat: 31gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 662mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 1gSugar: 10gProtein: 12g

Nutritional information is automatically calculated per the ingredients list. Serving size may not be accurate. Please double-check with your preferred nutritional app for the most accurate information.

Originally published on September 10, 2012. Updated with new pictures and information.

Simple Lemon Pasta Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make simple pasta better? ›

The Easy Secrets to Way Better Pasta
  1. Make sure your cooking water is salty like the sea, and almost as plentiful. ...
  2. Check the package's cooking time, but don't put too much faith in it. ...
  3. Reserve a little pasta water. ...
  4. Never, ever rinse. ...
  5. Finish your pasta in its sauce.
Apr 16, 2017

Why do you put lemon juice in pasta? ›

A bit of pasta water helped create glossy, thick sauce that clung to every strand of bucatini. Plate and serve. This dish really blew my mind, especially from a food science perspective. Just a few tablespoons of lemon juice was all it took to dramatically impact the viscosity of the sauce.

How to make simple pasta tastier? ›

Here are five genius techniques for making creamy, delicious pasta—without loading up on heavy ingredients.
  1. Don't cook the pasta in advance. ...
  2. Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce. ...
  3. Save the pasta cooking water. ...
  4. Add the cheese at the end. ...
  5. Skip the dairy altogether.
Nov 16, 2017

What is the secret of making pasta? ›

Shilpa explains that making fresh pasta all comes down to knowing one ratio of flour to water, specifically two parts flour to one part water by weight. For you bread heads out there, yes, that means 50% hydration, or 100 grams of flour to 50 grams of water.

What should I add to my pasta to make it taste better? ›

These delicious flavorings will bring beneficial plant compounds to your meal.
  1. Basil. Basil is a flavorful herb and a mainstay in many Italian dishes, including pasta. ...
  2. Oregano. Oregano is a culinary herb known for its peppery and pungent taste. ...
  3. Rosemary. ...
  4. Red pepper flakes. ...
  5. Garlic powder.
Apr 11, 2022

What can I add to pasta to make it taste good? ›

Consider pairing butter with lightly fried sage, or a high-quality extra virgin olive oil with basil, course sea salt, and crushed black pepper. In fact, adding fresh herbs is a top tip for perfect buttered noodles and should make its way into your easy, week-night recipe reserve.

Why not to cook lemon juice? ›

But, it must be noted that vitamin C is extremely heat-sensitive, and the nutrient gets easily destroyed by heat. “This is why you should never put lemon juice on food which is still hot, or still cooking on the flame.

What is cooking with lemon juice called? ›

What is Ceviche? The acid from the limes and lemons changes the structure of the proteins in the fish, essentially "cooking" the fish without using heat.

Should you add lemon juice during or after cooking? ›

Check out our Feast and Field list of do's and don'ts of working with lemons in the kitchen. Do use a squeeze of lemon in pan sauces to add a bright note once a dish is off the heat, but don't add lemon while the sauce is cooking as the lemon can become acrid.

What can I put on pasta without sauce? ›

Cheese is an excellent way to add flavor to your pasta without having to rely on sauce. Try mixing your angel hair pasta with goat cheese, and toss in sun-dried tomatoes to make an amazing meal with just a few ingredients. Garlic butter is a terrific way to season all types of noodles.

What are 3 key things to remember when cooking pasta? ›

10 Tips to Do Pasta Night Right
  • Use a big enough pot. ...
  • Use plenty of water. ...
  • Season the pasta water — ...
  • Let the water come to a boil first. ...
  • Stir right away — and every couple minutes. ...
  • Don't rely solely on the cooking time on your pasta's package. ...
  • Cook your pasta to just before al dente. ...
  • Reserve the pasta water.

What is the golden rule for pasta? ›

To be sure that your pasta is cooked correctly, it is enough to follow a few, simple rules. To begin with, you should keep in mind the right quantities. In Italy, the golden rule for cooking pasta is 1, 10, 100 or 1 liter of water, 10 grams of salt for every 100 grams of pasta.

What not to do when making pasta? ›

Cooking pasta: 5 mistakes
  1. Toss the pasta when the water is cold. This is probably the most common and also the most serious mistake you can make in cooking pasta. ...
  2. Using the wrong measure of salt. ...
  3. Cooking pasta in a small pot. ...
  4. Overcooking the pasta. ...
  5. Drain the pasta too much.
Sep 14, 2023

What is best flour for pasta? ›

One of the most popular flours for making pasta is semolina flour, which is a coarsely ground flour made from a particularly hard variety of wheat called durum. In fact, the word durum means hard (as in the word "durable"), in reference to the amount of force it takes to grind it.

How do you elevate a simple pasta dish? ›

Top 6 Ingredients to Elevate Your Pasta Dish
  1. 1: Extra Cheese. Parmesan, mozzarella, goat's cheese, or fetta are all excellent choices to add a rich, creamy flavour to your pasta. ...
  2. 2: Mushrooms. ...
  3. 3: Spinach or Rocket. ...
  4. 4: Bacon or Proscuitto. ...
  5. 5: Walnuts or Pine Nuts. ...
  6. 6: Fresh Herbs.

How to make simple pasta sauce better? ›

Tossing in strips of basil, a sprig of thyme or some oregano can take your sauce to the next level. Although fresh herbs might pop a bit more, dried herbs and spices can work just as well. Sprinkling in some red pepper flakes, a pinch of parsley and a dash of salt and pepper can liven up your jarred pasta sauce.

What can I add to plain cooked pasta? ›

If you don't have any pasta sauce, then add a handful of grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese or some chopped olives, capers or chunks of cooked sausage. If I have added too much pasta sauce or there is too great an egg to pasta ratio, then often I just add dried breadcrumbs to the mix.

How to make simple spaghetti better? ›

So, the simplest good dish is:
  1. add salt to the spaghetti water. The spaghetti will taste better.
  2. Heat olive oil or butter (or both) in a small pan, or in the microwave. ...
  3. If you can go for more than just one spice, you can add either oregano, a bit of red pepper powder (cayenne), or both to the garlic oil/butter sauce.
Jan 6, 2019

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