Light and bright in flavor, this lemon pasta dish is super quick and easy to make (about 20 minutes!)!
A simple sauce of lemon, butter, and a splash of cream (and some capers if you’d like) is tossed with pasta. This is perfect for lunch or as a “nest” under a protein like chicken, salmon, or shrimp.
Quick & Easy Lemon Pasta
- This pasta has a zesty lemon sauce that is slightly creamy and ready by the time the pasta cooks.
- Lemon pasta takes 20 minutes from start to finish so it’s great as a side or a quick dinner.
- This dish pairs well with any mild protein like shrimp, fish, or chicken.
What’s in Lemon Pasta?
PASTA: Use whatever pasta is on hand but our preference is a delicate long pasta like spaghettini or angel hair.
SAUCE: Lemon and garlic flavor this sauce and capers add a briny punch. We love capers paired with lemon (especially in Chicken Piccata). If you don’t have capers, stir in a couple of tablespoons of tapenade or chopped olives.
GARNISH: Lemon pasta looks extra fancy topped with parsley. You can also garnish with a few leaves of torn basil, freshly ground black pepper, and parmesan or crumbled feta cheese.
RECIPE TIP: Heavy Cream cannot be substituted with lighter cream in this recipe. Lighter cream can curdle from the lemon juice. If you do not have heavy cream, try melting some spreadable cream cheese to get a creamy consistency.
Heavy cream (or whipping cream) should have between 35-35% milk fat (sometimes displayed on the container as 30% m.f. )
How to Make Lemon Pasta
Elegant lemon pasta is delightfully simple to create:
- Cook pasta to al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of pasta water.
- Cook the garlic in butter (per the recipe below). Add lemon juice, heavy cream, & capers. Simmer until sauce thickens.
- Remove from heat and add pasta & parsley. Garnish with parmesan cheese and serve.
Tips for Perfect Lemon Pasta
- Heavy Cream cannot be substituted with lighter cream in this recipe.
- Do not overcook the pasta, it should be cooked al dente (firm).
- Reserve some pasta water to get the right consistency to the sauce.
- Do not rinse the pasta, the starches help the sauce cling to the pasta.
- Cook this dish in a skillet at least 10″, this helps the cream to thicken.
What to Serve With Lemon Pasta
This dish can be served as a simple entrée or side, so here are a few faves.
Try a Greek Salad and some Cheesy Garlic Breadsticks or Homemade Focaccia Bread. An arugula salad a great peppery flavor.
Best Way to Store
Keep pasta refrigerated in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a saucepan with a little extra cream. Cooked lemon pasta doesn’t freeze well so it’s best to use it up.
More Fast Pasta
- Fettuccine Alfredo
- 15 Minute Mac and Cheese
- Creamy Garlic Pasta
- Easy Shrimp Scampi Recipe
- Quick Broccoli Pasta
- Cacio e Pepe
Did you make this Lemon Pasta? Leave us a comment and a rating below!
20 Minute Lemon Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dry pasta approx 2 cups
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons capers
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- freshly grated parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving ½ cup pasta water.
- Zest the lemon and set the zest aside. Juice 3 tablespoons of lemon juice.
- While pasta is boiling, add butter and garlic to a 10" skillet. Cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, heavy cream, and capers to the skillet. Simmer 5-6 minutes or until slightly thickened (if doubling the recipe, thickening will take longer).
- Remove from heat and toss with pasta and chopped fresh parsley. Stir in pasta water to reach desired consistency.
- Garnish with Parmesan cheese and additoinal lemon slices if desired.
Notes
- This serves 4 as a side dish or two as a main dish.
- This recipe can be doubled, the thickening time will be longer.
- Heavy Cream cannot be substituted with lighter cream in this recipe.
- Do not overcook the pasta, it should be cooked al dente (firm).
- Reserve some pasta water to get the right consistency to the sauce.
- Do not rinse, the starches help the sauce cling to the pasta.
- Cook this dish in a skillet at least 10", this helps the cream to thicken.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dinner, Entree, Lunch, Main Course, Pasta, Snack
Cuisine American, Mediterranean© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
My wife and I love this recipe we served it with grilled chicken breast and a Roman salad it’s the bomb. we have ate this like 3 times a month and it still tastes like the first time we had it Mmm.
That sounds like the perfect meal James! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Is there a substitute for capers and why can’t a lighter cream be used ?
A lighter cream can curdle with lemon juice. Capers add a briny salty flavor and really elevate this dish. If you don’t have capers, you could use a few chopped olives or a tiny bit of anchovy.
Very delicious and very easy. All of my kids ate this up including my 18 month old who has become extremely picky these days. This was so good that my 3 year old asked me to make it for breakfast, lunch, dinner and then breakfast again.
Woohoo, that’s definitely a win for mom!
Love your recipes! Today I am trying your stuffed shells. I just want to say that my grandmother told me to add a little bit of nutmeg to the filling. Can’t wait for dinner tonight!
Yummy, nutmeg is a delicious addition, Jo Ann. We would love to hear how it turns out for you!
This is by far the easiest pasta recipe I have ever made and everyone loved it. Thank you for the recipe.
So glad you loved it James!