Lemon Spaghetti
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Say hello to this quick lemon spaghetti. It’s a delightful spring pasta that is bright, creamy, and full of lemon flavor. And it’s ready in less than 15 minutes.
A refreshing midweek meal the whole family will love!
I LOVE the combination of pasta with lemons. In the past, I created several lemon pasta recipes, including lemon garlic pasta, lemon caper pasta, and this incredible version with creamy ricotta, a favorite pasta dish on the website.
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Today, I’m sharing this super delicious lemon spaghetti inspired by the popular Italian pasta al limone, one of my weeknight staples as a child.
The recipe uses minimal ingredients and is incredibly flavorful. We absolutely love this recipe because it comes together in no time, and the sauce is fresh, velvety, and perfectly coats the spaghetti.
You only need one lemon, cheese, garlic, herbs, and olive oil. Combining these ingredients in a pan with a touch of starchy pasta water will make a delicious, smooth sauce in two minutes flat. Next, toss in your al dente spaghetti and a big crackle of black pepper, and you’re ready to swirl creamy noodles around a fork!
Lastly, the recipe is very flexible and easy to customize. You can experiment with different fresh herbs or add your favorite veggies or protein for a balanced, terrific family meal.
Grab some spaghetti from your cupboard and fresh lemon, and let’s make this easy and flavorful lemon spaghetti!
List of the ingredients
- Spaghetti
- Lemon
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Garlic
- Parmesan and cream cheese
- Basil
- Salt & pepper
How to make lemon spaghetti
(Note: this is a quick description; the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)
- Cook your spaghetti until al dente.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet, then stir in garlic and lemon zest.
- Add cream cheese, parmesan, basil, lemon juice, and pasta water to the pan and whisk until you get a silky sauce.
- Stir the spaghetti sauce until smooth and creamy.
- Add the spaghetti and toss until well combined.
- Season to taste, and serve your spaghetti al limone immediately. It’s so delicious with warm focaccia, pesto garlic bread, or black pepper focaccia on the side!
Recipe Notes
Ingredients & substitutions
Spaghetti: I like using something long, like spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine. I recommend buying premium-quality spaghetti, which has a better taste and a rough texture that helps the sauce cling to each noodle. My favorite brands are Garofalo and Rummo.
Olive oil + garlic: The recipe starts with fragrant garlic cooked in olive oil.
Lemon: I use lemon juice and zest to maximize the lemon flavor. The zest is added to the garlic, which packs so much flavor.
Cream cheese: I used Philadelphia cream cheese, but you can use any nice full-fat cream cheese, a dollop of ricotta, or a touch of heavy cream as a substitution.
Parmesan cheese: But don’t skip the Parmesan-Reggiano cheese with its nutty flavor. I recommend using the freshly grated option n that melts very well into the sauce.
Herbs: I used fresh basil, but parsley or dill would work fine. Fresh herbs are lovely and add aromatic notes, but you can skip them if you don’t have them.
Salt & pepper: The recipe doesn’t require seasoning, as the pasta water and parmesan already contain salt. However, I recommend seasoning to taste the pasta sauce before serving.
lemon spaghetti variations
It’s a perfect weeknight pasta for spring and summer, and it’s easy to take it to the next level by adding a few delicious extras. Here are some ideas:
- Add vegetables. Roasted or sauteed cherry tomatoes, grilled or roasted zucchini, peppers, sauteed kale or spinach, roasted artichokes, and more.
- Add protein. Grilled chicken, shredded ham, shrimp, and pan-fried or smoked salmon are all great options if you’re not vegetarian.
Serving suggestions
- Enjoy as a side with a salad. It would pair well with a light carrot salad, cucumber salad, or lettuce salad.
- If you wish to add plant-based protein to the meal, a chickpea salad, cannellini bean salad, or a white bean salad would make a balanced meatless meal.
Leftovers & storage
Lemon spaghetti is best when fresh, creamy, and cooked al dente. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, but they lose their creaminess and bite. To reheat, put them in a microwave-safe dish and add a splash of milk or water.
More spaghetti recipes you’ll love!
- Creamy spaghetti
- Spinach spaghetti
- Fried spaghetti with scrambled eggs
- Healthy spaghetti
- Spaghetti with garlic & olive oil
- Ricotta Spaghetti
- Leek pasta
And since you are a spaghetti lover, you might want to check out this collection of spaghetti sauce recipes!
Lastly, I hope you’ll love this lemon spaghetti as much as we do. And if you have any questions, let me know! Leave a comment, send me a message, or rate it. I would love to hear from you!
Lemon Spaghetti
Ingredients
Pasta
- 8oz (225 grams) Spaghetti (or your favorite long pasta shapes)
Lemon Garlic Sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lemon zest
- ½ cup (60 ml) pasta cooking water
- ¼ cup (30 grams) grated parmesan cheese, plus more to serve
- ¼ cup cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (approx juice from ½ lemon)
- 8 Basil leaves, shredded
- salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
Spaghetti
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook pasta per packet instructions.
- When the spaghetti is nearly done, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water (you need it for the sauce), and stop cooking and draining the pasta when it's al dente.
Lemon sauce
- When the pasta is about 4 minutes away from being done, heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic and lemon zest and cook for about 60 seconds until it's fragrant and smells nice.
- Add only ½ cup of the reserved hot pasta water (keep the rest aside), then the lemon juice, grated parmesan, cream cheese, basil, and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper. Stir until emulsified and smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking if needed. Turn the heat off.
- Now, the spaghetti should be ready and al dente. Drain it and add it to the pan, tossing until well combined and juicy. If needed, add an extra touch of the reserved pasta water.
- Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
