• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Cinnamon Jar logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • Knowledge
  • About me
  • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • Knowledge
    • About me
    • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Main dishes

    Published: Jan 5, 2023 by Maretha @ The Cinnamon Jar

    Lemon garlic pasta (ready in 15 minutes)

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This one pot lemon garlic pasta is a deliciously flavourful dish that's easy to knock together for a weekday dinner when you're short on time. The combination of lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, parmesan and basil provides a bright, tangy pasta dish that will leave you coming back for seconds.

    It takes as long to make as it takes your pasta to boil. Make the sauce whilst the pasta is on the stove and just stir it through when it's cooked. Dinner's on the table in 15 minutes flat.

    For more quick dinner ideas, try this easy pea fritter recipe, satay chicken stir fry with udon noodles or these chicken rissoles.

    Lemon garlic pasta in a white enamel bowl, surrounded by a bowl of basil and a bowl of lemon slices. this recipe

    What's to love about this lemon garlic pasta

    • Makes a nice change to the usual 'heavy' pasta dishes. It's fresh and light
    • Takes only 15 minutes to make
    • No lemon wastage, you will use all of the lemons, zest and juice
    • Easily scalable for a larger dinner crowd
    • Vegetarian
    • No cream
    Jump to:
    • What's to love about this lemon garlic pasta
    • Key ingredients and substitutions
    • How to make it - Quick summary
    • Top tips
    • Variations
    • What to serve with lemon garlic pasta
    • Storage and reheating
    • Recipe

    Key ingredients and substitutions

    The pasta - This recipe just works really well with linguini, but you can use any type of pasta you prefer. I am a big advocate for supermarket brands, but with linguini I find it's best to buy the best brand affordable to you. Other pastas to try would be bow-tie, fusilli, tagliatelle, fettucine, spaghetti, angel hair pasta and even orzo.

    You can ditch the pasta all together and make a super healthy version with zucchini/courgette noodles instead.

    Butter - We used unsalted butter. If you're using salted butter, add a little less salt.

    Olive oil - You can use virgin, extra virgin or any good quality flavoured olive oil that will compliment the the dish.

    Garlic - We will use two teaspoons of minced garlic. If you feel adventurous and you have time on your hands, roasted garlic is absolutely delicious in this dish. You might need to add a little more garlic because the roasting process tones down the sharpness of the garlic somewhat.

    Herbs and spices - Basil, you can adjust how much or little you'd like to add. Dill and parsley are also really good herbs to consider adding. Add a good few grinds of black pepper. It really shines in this dish.

    Lemons, lemons, lemons - You will need about three small-medium lemons for this dish to provide you with 70ml fresh lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of lemon zest. This is an estimate and it will obviously depend on the size lemons available to you.

    Grated parmesan cheese - A lot of it, 100g. However, it's an expensive cheese, so you can replace it with Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano or Piave.

    How to make it - Quick summary

    • Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions and drain in a colander. Return to the pan.
    • Whilst the pasta is cooking, make the pasta sauce by combining all the remaining ingredients, bar the parmesan.
    • Stir the sauce and then the parmesan through the hot pasta and serve.

    Top tips

    • Use good quality linguini or pasta and ensure you have enough water in the pan for the pasta to boil, with room to spare. Often times the problem with pasta sticking together is due to not enough water and a too small saucepan. Pasta needs a lot of room and water to cook successfully

    • Don't forget to zest the lemons first before juicing them, otherwise you will kick yourself. It sounds obvious but I have made this mistake before when in a hurry!

    Variations

    • Make it meaty with added cooked chicken, prawns, shrimp, tuna or salmon. Add your meaty additions at the same time as adding the pasta sauce and parmesan and heat through
    • Stir in some anchovies for extra depth
    • Add red pepper flakes/red chilli flakes for a bit of heat

    What to serve with lemon garlic pasta

    • Top with generous lashings of more freshly grated parmesan, basil and pepper
    • Serve with a crunchy green side salad
    • Serve with Panzanella Toscana salad
    • Add garlic bread
    • Serve as a side to chicken or fish
    • Serve with chilli oil on the side
    • Add a dollop of roasted garlic butter on top
    • Serve with crispy, chilled white wine

    Storage and reheating

    This will keep well covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. It can be frozen but pasta do tend to go quite soft from freezing. Reheat in the microwave.

    Recipe

    Lemon garlic pasta in a white enamel bowl, surrounded by a bowl of basil and a bowl of lemon slices.

    Lemon garlic pasta (ready in 15 minutes)

    Maretha @ The Cinnamon Jar
    This lemon garlic pasta is a deliciously flavourful dish that's easy to knock together for a weekday dinner when you're short on time. The combination of lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, parmesan and basil provides a bright, tangy pasta dish that will leave you coming back for seconds.
    It takes as long to make as it takes your pasta to boil. Make the sauce whilst the pasta is on the stove and just stir it through when it's cooked. Dinner's on the table in 15 minutes flat.
    5 from 23 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine International
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 538 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    For the pasta

    • 250 grams linguini - or pasta of choice
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    For the sauce

    • 40 grams melted unsalted butter - add a little less salt if you're using salted butter
    • 60 millilitre olive oil
    • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
    • 2 tablespoons chopped basil
    • 2 tablespoons lemon zest - this is roughly the zest of about 3 small lemons
    • 70 millilitre lemon juice - freshly squeezed
    • few generous grinds black pepper
    • 100 grams grated parmesan

    Instructions

    Cooking the pasta

    • Add the linguini to a large saucepan with the salt. Cover generously with water. You need about an inch of water above the pasta. This provides enough room for the pasta to cook freely without the strands sticking together
    • Cook according to package instructions, or until al dente. As a guide, it should take about 10 minutes from boiling point

    To make the pasta sauce

    • Add the melted butter, olive oil, minced garlic, chopped basil, lemon zest, lemon juice and black pepper to a jug or bowl and whisk together with a fork

    How to assemble the pasta

    • Once the pasta is cooked, drain in a colander and return the pasta to the saucepan. Add the sauce and gently stir through. Lastly, add the grated parmesan and toss through
    • Once served into bowls, top with more salt (if required), pepper, fresh basil and lashings of freshly grated parmesan

    Notes

    Nutritional information disclaimer:
    This nutritional content is for informational purposes only. We are not responsible for any errors. We have tested the recipe for accuracy, but your results may vary. Please note that this is not medical or nutrition advice. Seek advice from a licensed professional if you need advice. We are not liable for any damages caused by your use of this content.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 538kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 1096mg | Potassium: 221mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 522IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 247mg | Iron: 1mg
    Keyword pasta, lemon, garlic, basil, parmesan
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    For food safety advice, including guidance on food allergies

    More Main Dishes Recipes

    • Four creamy chicken and leek pies on a baking sheet with one pie broken open.
      Creamy chicken and leek pies with puff pastry
    • Tuna pesto pasta in a white bowl with a bowl of parmesan and a drink.
      Tuna pesto pasta
    • Spaghetti Arrabiata served in a pasta bowl.
      Spaghetti Arrabiata
    • Curry noodle salad in two white bowls.
      Curry noodle salad (kerrie noedelslaai)

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hello! I'm Maretha, an avid foodie and constant student of gastronomy. My goal is to discover, develop and share scrumptious recipes with anyone willing to join me on this vast culinary adventure!

    More about me →

    Trending recipes

    • Marshmallow crème with stiff peaks on a balloon whisk
      How to make marshmallow fluff without corn syrup
    • Four pieces of pink and white coconut ice spread out on a table with a white lace table cloth.
      Easy Coconut Ice with condensed milk
    • A large pizza on a wooden board, one slice of pizza to the side on a wooden plate
      Homemade bacon pizza with feta and avocado
    • Trinchado in a white bowl with a dish of bread rolls and a small basket of chips.
      Beef Trinchado
    • A medium glass of Rock shandy on a yellow background with an orange and yellow straw.
      Rock Shandy
    • Tuna pate in a white bowl on a wooden serving board, surrounded by celery sticks.
      Healthy tuna pâté
    • Two bowls of coffee mousse with raspberries on top.
      Creamy 3-Ingredient coffee mousse (eggless)
    • Easy South African bobotie in a white dish on a grey background.
      Easy South African bobotie

    Latest recipes

    • Watermelon lollies designs laying on a white background.
      Fresh watermelon lollies
    • Jerusalem salad on a white plate.
      Simple Jerusalem salad (Israeli salad)
    • Milkybar cheesecake sliced into slices on a white wooden board.
      Decadent no-bake Milkybar cheesecake
    • Pineapple slushie in a mason jar with a blue silly straw.
      Refreshing pineapple slushie
    • A stack of raspberry and white chocolate blondies on a black cooling rack.
      Raspberry and white chocolate blondies
    • Chicken sausage rolls scattered on a table with a hand in the background dipping a sausage roll into sauce.
      Easy chicken sausage rolls
    • Biscoff truffles decorated in various ways on a mauve background.
      Biscoff truffles
    • Biscoff cake slices cut into triangles and drizzled with white chocolate on a white background.
      Biscoff slices (no bake)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Privacy Policy

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 The Cinnamon Jar. All rights reserved.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Do not sell my personal information.
    Cookie SettingsAccept
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT