This incredibly easy recipe for Lemon Garlic Pasta is bursting with flavor and takes minutes to make. It’s light, creamy and delicious!
You’ll toss hot pasta in a creamy lemon garlic sauce using fresh garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Finished off with some fresh parsley, lemon and freshly grated parmesan cheese. This meal feels fancy but it’s difficult to make.
When I want something different from Alfredo or tomato sauce, I make this lemon pasta sauce. The kids love it too! It’s light and very satisfying.
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Garlic Pasta Recipe
- Quick and Easy – This lemon garlic pasta comes together in just 30 minutes, making it perfect for dinner for those busy weekday nights.
- Light, but Comforting – Unlike heavy, cream-based pastas, this pasta dish uses a garlic butter pasta sauce with just a hint of cream without being too heavy.
- Simple Ingredients – You only need a handful of ingredients that most people already have on hand. This is a great recipe when you want a quick dinner with staple ingredients that everyone will love.
Ingredients Needed
Trust me when I say that this is not a lot of ingredients. I always have things like seasonings, oil, cream, broth, etc… on hand because I cook with them often. All you need is one lemon as well! You can get both the zest and juice from it. I’m guilty of using very cheap wine when I cook. I typically spend under $10!
- Pasta – I used bucatini for this recipe. Other options are linguine, spaghetti, angel hair pasta or even penne.
- Kosher Salt – The salt will be divided between seasoning the sauce and seasoning the pasta water.
- Lemon Juice and Zest – fresh lemon juice is best.
- Heavy Cream and Chicken Broth – I used low-sodium chicken broth but either will work.
- White Wine – You do not have to spend a lot of money on an expensive wine.
- Reserved Pasta Water – This will be to thin out the cream sauce.
- Olive Oil – this can be subbed for butter if preferred.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Add as much or as little as you like for a little kick.
- Garlic – Get the freshest head you can find. You’ll be using 5-6 cloves of it!
- Basil – I used store-bought freshly minced basil or you can mince it yourself.
- Black Pepper
- Parmesan: Freshly grated is the way to go. It melts easier and doesn’t clump.
How to Make Lemon Garlic Pasta
This is a quick and easy sauce to make and the whole process takes under 30 minutes from start to finish.
- Boil the Pasta. Start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. Add 5 tbsp of the kosher salt to the water along with the pasta. Cook for about 5 minutes al dente, then drain the noodles and rinse with cold water. The pasta is going to finish cooking the sauce.
- Cook the Garlic. Heat a large skillet to medium heat. Add the olive oil and garlic then cook until fragrant. This should take about 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in Broth and Wine. After adding the chicken broth and white wine to the skillet, allow it to reduce for about 4-5 minutes to cook out the alcohol.
- Add the Remaining Sauce Ingredients. Next, add lemon juice, lemon zest, heavy cream, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Bring all of the ingredients to a medium-low simmer.
- Finish the Pasta. Add in the cooked pasta and pasta water. Stir occasionally while it cooks and allow the sauce to thicken. This takes around 7-8 minutes.
- Add the Garnishes. Top with fresh basil, parmesan, and more black pepper to taste.
- Serve. Enjoy nice and hot! Add even more parmesan cheese to your portion if you like!
Tips and Variations
- White wine. Sauvignon Blanc is my top pick for white wine if you want a higher quality. You can also use any white wine you prefer or even swap for chicken broth.
- Add some protein. You can add chicken or shrimp to this garlic and lemon pasta to make a complete meal. We also like to sometimes add in veggies like broccoli, asparagus or peas.
- Pasta. Instead of bucatini, you may substitute spaghetti, angel hair, or fettuccine. Cooking times will vary so follow the package directions.
- Salt. We use 1/2 Tablespoon of salt in the boiling water. However, feel free to add more salt in the water (another Tablespoon) if you prefer salty foods. I personally like to keep things more low-sodium.
Serving
Pairs Well – This lemon garlic pasta goes well with oven roasted chicken, chicken milanese or marinated veggie salad for a vegetarian meal.
I wouldn’t recommend making this recipe ahead of time. It is best served right after cooking.
How to Store Leftovers
Any leftover lemon garlic pasta can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I highly recommend reheating on the stovetop and adding a little bit of broth or cream to bring the sauce back to life. It may separate if heated in the microwave.
Lemon Garlic Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 ounces long pasta (I used bucatini)
- 1 large lemon zested and juiced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 cup pasta water reserved from cooking pasta
- 4-5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 5-6 cloves garlic minced
- 3-4 tablespoons fresh basil minced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- fresh parmesan for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring water (with 1/2 Tablespoon of salt added) to a boil. Once boiling add in the pasta. Cook for 5 minutes. Pasta will finish cooking in sauce. Drain with cold water and set aside.
- In a large skillet add in olive oil and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add in chicken broth and white wine. Reduce for 4-5 minutes
- Add in lemon juice, zest, heavy cream, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Add in cooked pasta and pasta water. Cook, tossing occasionally until the sauce has thickened, about 7-8 minutes.
- Add in fresh basil and top with black pepper and freshly grated parmesan.
Last Step:
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4 comments on “Lemon Garlic Pasta”
Any tips on how to make this lower in sodium?
Hi Catherine. There were some mistakes in the salt amount and the nutrition calculations. We corrected those. Thanks!
What can be used in place of white wine?
Hi Donna. You could use a low sodium vegetable broth instead.