Lemon Spaghetti is an easy dish bursting with refreshing, light flavor! Ready to enjoy in under 20 minutes, this is perfect for those busy weeknights!
My family is big on family dinners each week. No matter how busy our weeknights are, we always try to carve out time for a family dinner each night. One where we can catch each other up on our day, keep each other in the loop with happenings, and simply connect after a busy day!
Years ago, my kids started taking turns talking about their day and telling us about the good, the bad, goofy conversations, and more. Since then, it has turned into our nightly routine going around the table and sharing stories. As crazy as my day might be, family dinner is one of my favorite parts of the day.
Nothing is more relaxing then sitting down with some tasty comfort food and enjoying family time, am I right?! Especially now that my kids are a bit older and past the picky stage where food gets dissected and uneaten because it isn’t the “right color, shape, or item”, ha-ha!
Lighten up your standard spaghetti dinner with this light, flavorful, and delicious recipe for lemon spaghetti.
A few nights ago, I served this lemon spaghetti with some grilled shrimp and the family devoured their plates in no time! Not only that, but the kids went back for seconds, which means it was definitely a favorite! The best part of all, I had the meal ready to serve in under 20 minutes!
The light lemon sauce is bursting with lemon flavor. It is incredibly refreshing and so good with the salty Parmesan cheese and sweet basil.
Ingredients Needed for Lemon Spaghetti
- Olive Oil
- Parmesan Cheese
- Lemon Juice- fresh is best, about two lemons
- Salt/Pepper
- Spaghetti
- Basil- fresh is best, chopped
- Lemon Zest
How to prepare
- In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil, Parmesan, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Set bowl aside.
- Boil pasta and cook until al dente. Drain water.
- Toss pasta with lemon sauce.
- Add in the Basil and lemon zest and serve immediately!
Optional Toppings
Although this dish is vegetarian, it can easily be changed to make this a complete meal! Feel free to add veggies, proteins, and more to make it your own.
- Chicken- cooked and chopped or cut into strips
- Shrimp- cooked and grilled/sauteed
- Mushrooms- sliced
- Chopped Broccoli
- Asparagus- chopped
- Peas or any other veggie desired
What to serve with this pasta?
Storing Tips
To be honest, we don’t typically have very many leftovers when I make this, however, if you do, simply place the leftovers in an airtight container.
This can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing because the texture never comes out right when thawed.
Luckily, this can be a great lunch option though, so use those leftovers for lunches, dinners, or snacks!
Love pasta? Check out these other great recipes:
Easy, refreshing, and light tasting. This Lemon Spaghetti is ready in no time and perfect for any occasion. Print or save the recipe below to give it a try!
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Lemon Spaghetti
Equipment
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup olive oil
- ⅔ cup Parmesan cheese *grated
- ½ cup lemon juice *fresh is best
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lb spaghetti
- ⅓ cup Basil *chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Set bowl aside.
- Boil pasta according to package directions to reach al dente.
- Drain water and mix pasta with sauce. Stir to coat thoroughly.
- Add in the chopped Basil and lemon zest.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from Giada’s Lemon Spaghetti
Sarah M says
I make a very (almost identical) similar dish calling it lemon pasta using corkscrew pasta. Mixing the lemon juice, olive oil and zest together and pouring over the hot pasta. Then use fresh parsley and green onions instead of basil. Yummy either way!
Kristin says
Wow! That sounds scrumptious too!! Yum!!