Zesty Lemon Pasta
Ultra-Simple, Lightning-Fast, Budget-Friendly, Refreshingly Tangy Lemon Pasta
This pasta dish is as simple as Aglio e Olio, perhaps even easier! It’s wonderfully refreshing on its own, but you can elevate it by adding ingredients like shrimp or chicken for a more substantial meal. It’s a popular pasta dish that many famous chefs prepare in various ways, so you know it’s bound to be delicious!
Pasta- 1 lb (approx. 450g) Spaghetti or Angel Hair pasta
- Plenty of water for boiling pasta
- 1 Tbsp salt for pasta water
Lemon Sauce- 2/3 cup Olive Oil
- 3 Lemons (for zest and juice)
- 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Other- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- Parsley flakes to taste
- 2/3 cup Olive Oil
- 3 Lemons (for zest and juice)
- 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Other- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- Parsley flakes to taste
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Since we’ll be using the lemon peel, it’s crucial to wash the lemons thoroughly. Soak them in a mixture of water with baking soda and vinegar for about 10 minutes, then rinse them vigorously under running water to ensure they are perfectly clean.
Step 2
Once the water for the pasta is boiling, add about 1 Tbsp of coarse salt and cook the pasta. A key tip here is to cook the pasta for about 2 minutes less than the time indicated on the package for a perfect ‘al dente’ texture.
Step 3
While the pasta is cooking, let’s prepare the sauce. First, finely grate the yellow part of the lemon peels (you should get about 1 Tbsp of zest from 3 lemons). Then, cut the zested lemons in half and squeeze their juice through a sieve into a bowl (you should get about 1/2 cup of juice from 3 lemons). In a separate bowl, combine 2/3 cup of olive oil and 2/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
Step 4
Whisk all the ingredients for the lemon sauce together in the bowl until well combined and set it aside.
Step 5
I used Angel’s Hair pasta, which cooks very quickly, so I had to be swift! Reserve about a cup of the starchy pasta water before draining. Drain the pasta and set the reserved pasta water aside.
Step 6
In a large skillet or pan, combine the drained pasta and the prepared lemon sauce.
Step 7
Pour in about 2 cups of the reserved hot pasta water into the pan with the pasta and sauce. Gently toss everything together over low heat, allowing the sauce to emulsify and coat the pasta beautifully. If you prefer a looser sauce, feel free to add a little more pasta water.
Step 8
Once the sauce has thickened slightly and coated the pasta well, season with salt and pepper to your liking. Sprinkle with parsley flakes and give it one final toss.
Step 9
This pasta is incredibly delicious on its own, but you can easily upgrade it by adding sautéed shrimp or chicken. Serve it immediately and enjoy the bright, zesty flavors!
