One-Pan Lemon Garlic Pasta: A Quick and Easy Recipe for Busy Weeknights

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One-Pan Lemon Garlic Pasta Recipe

If you’re looking for a quick and easy dinner recipe, you might want to consider making One-Pan Lemon Garlic Pasta. This dish is perfect for busy weeknights when you don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen.

One-Pan Lemon Garlic Pasta is a simple and flavorful dish that requires only a few ingredients and minimal prep work. As the name suggests, this pasta dish is cooked in just one pan, which means less cleanup for you. The lemon and garlic add a bright and zesty flavor to the pasta, making it a refreshing and satisfying meal.

Exact Ingredients (+ Possible Substitutes)

To make One-Pan Lemon Garlic Pasta, you will need the following ingredients:

  • Linguine: 8 oz
  • Garlic: 6 cloves
  • Butter: 4 tbsp
  • Olive oil: 2 tbsp
  • Lemon juice: 1/4 cup
  • Lemon zest: 1 tbsp
  • Salt: 1 tsp
  • Pepper: 1/2 tsp
  • Parmesan cheese: 1/2 cup, grated

If you are unable to find linguine, you can use spaghetti or fettuccine as a substitute. For those who are lactose intolerant, you can replace butter with dairy-free butter or olive oil. If you do not have fresh lemons, you can use bottled lemon juice, but the taste may differ. You can also use Pecorino Romano cheese instead of Parmesan cheese if you prefer.

To make the recipe vegan, you can replace butter with olive oil and Parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast. If you are gluten intolerant, you can use gluten-free pasta instead of linguine.

Overall, this recipe is versatile, and you can adjust it according to your taste and dietary restrictions.

Instructions

Making One-Pan Lemon Garlic Pasta is quick and easy. Here are the instructions:

  1. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add in a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil.
  2. Take a head of garlic, remove the skins from the cloves and roughly chop them. After heating the olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes, add in the chopped garlic and mix with the olive oil. Cook for 2 minutes or until the garlic is lightly browned.
  3. Add water, linguine, remaining butter, lemon zest, and juice to the pan. Bring to a boil, stirring with tongs to make sure the pasta is separated and does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pan. Cook for about 10-12 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
  5. Once cooked, squeeze in the juice from one lemon and add in lemon zest. Give it a quick mix.
  6. Sprinkle some salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot and enjoy!

It’s that simple! With these easy-to-follow instructions, you can make a delicious One-Pan Lemon Garlic Pasta in no time.

Tips, Tricks & Storing

Making One-Pan Lemon Garlic Pasta is a breeze, but here are a few tips and tricks to make it even easier and more delicious.

Tips

  • Use fresh garlic: Fresh garlic adds a lot of flavor to the dish. It’s best to use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder.
  • Don’t overcook the pasta: Make sure to cook the pasta until it’s just al dente. If you overcook it, the pasta will become mushy and won’t hold its shape.
  • Add more lemon juice: If you love the taste of lemon, add a little more lemon juice to the dish. It will give the pasta a tangy flavor.

Tricks

  • Use a large pan: Use a large pan to cook the pasta. If the pan is too small, the pasta won’t cook evenly.
  • Add some vegetables: You can add some vegetables to the dish to make it more nutritious. Some good options include spinach, cherry tomatoes, and bell peppers.
  • Use chicken broth: Instead of using water to cook the pasta, you can use chicken broth. It will add more flavor to the dish.

Storing

  • Store in an airtight container: Once the pasta has cooled down, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  • Reheat in a pan: To reheat the pasta, add it to a pan with a little bit of water or chicken broth. Heat it over medium heat until it’s heated through.
  • Freeze for later: You can also freeze the pasta for later. Store it in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. To reheat, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat it in a pan.

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