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    Home » Recipes » Pasta

    Easy Lemon Herb Pasta

    Published: Feb 21, 2017 · Last Updated: Feb 6, 2023

    Jump to Recipe

    This easy lemon herb pasta pasta recipe is perfect for busy weeknights! Add shrimp, chicken, or veggies to make it your own and have this lemon pasta ready in under 30 minutes. 

    Spaghetti topped with fresh herbs on a tan plate, next to a copper fork. this recipe

    Oh heyyyyyy, internet!

    I made you some pasta.

    Some quiiiiick and eaaaaasy and lemon-y and herb-y and also cheeeeeesy (WOOT) pasta.

    Close up of spaghetti and herbs on a brown speckled plate.

    This is one of those oh-so-simple but oh-so-flavorful recipes that just makes everything easier. It's quick to make (we're talking less than 30 minutes!) and I almost always have the ingredients on hand, so it's the perfect choice for busy weeknights when you get sucked into Netflix and forget to buy food haven't had time to hit the store.

    There is lots of twirly-whirly spaghetti (#carbs4ever) and also basil and parsley and also PARMESAN CHEESE, so I guess this is maybe less of a pasta recipe and more of an official introduction to your new weeknight dinner BFF.

    Noodles and fresh herbs on a tan plate, in front of a dark background.

    Eat this lemon pasta recipe as is (it's ready in under thirty minutes!) or add some chicken, shrimp, or seasonal veggies to mix it up a bit.

    Since there aren't too many ingredients, pay attention to quality (get the goooooood cheese, okay? PROMISE ME) and don't skimp on seasoning (fresh ground black pepper = life).

    Copper fork twirling spaghetti and herbs on a light brown plate.

    Love this recipe? Try our corn and tomato pasta →

    Print
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    Spaghetti with herbs on a light brown plate next to a tan napkin.

    Easy Lemon Herb Pasta

    ★★★★ 3.5 from 8 reviews
    • Author: Jessie
    • Prep Time: 10 min
    • Cook Time: 20 min
    • Total Time: 30 minutes
    • Yield: Serves 2-4 1x
    • Category: Pasta
    • Cuisine: Italian-American
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    Description

    A quick and easy lemon herb pasta for busy weeknights.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 2 large lemons
    • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese (see recipe notes)
    • ½ lb. spaghetti
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • ½ cup fresh chopped parsley
    • ½ cup fresh chopped basil

    Instructions

    1. Cook the spaghetti in very salty water until al dente.
    2. While the pasta cooks, zest the lemons with a microplane - being careful to avoid the bitter white pith under the skin - and place lemon zest in a large mixing bowl.
    3. Juice each lemon and add lemon juice to the mixing bowl with the lemon zest. Make sure to remove any seeds.
    4. Add olive oil and shredded parmesan cheese to bowl and stir to combine.
    5. When pasta is al dente, save a ladle-full of pasta water and place it in a separate small bowl.
    6. Drain pasta.
    7. Add hot drained pasta to your lemon-oil-cheese mixture. Toss to combine until cheese has melted and pasta is evenly coated. If it needs a little more moisture, add a splash of the reserved pasta water.
    8. Taste pasta and season to taste with salt and plenty of fresh ground black pepper.
    9. Reserve a tablespoon or so of chopped herbs for garnish.
    10. Toss remaining parsley and basil with the pasta until herbs are evenly distributed.
    11. Serve immediately and top with reserved herbs for garnish.

    Notes

    To keep this recipe truly vegetarian, use vegetarian (rennet-free) parmesan cheese.

    Buy good-quality parmiggiano reggiano cheese and shred it yourself - pre-shredded or low-quality parmesan cheese will NOT melt well into the sauce and will just get clumpy (yuck).

    Add some grilled chicken, roasted salmon, shrimp, or crab to this pasta to make it a heartier dish. You could also add any seasonal veggies you have on hand, such as broccoli, bell peppers, peas, asparagus, etc.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size:
    • Calories: 398
    • Sugar: 2.3 g
    • Sodium: 767.6 mg
    • Fat: 17.7 g
    • Carbohydrates: 44.9 g
    • Protein: 11.6 g
    • Cholesterol: 7.2 mg

    Keywords: pasta, comfort food, spring

    Tag @lifeasastrawberry on Instagram to show us what you're cooking! Nutrition information is calculated per serving; it is approximate and will vary based on many factors.

    SaveSave

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    I'm Jessie, and I like to talk about food. Tag your recipes #LifeAsAStrawberry on social media to share your creations! Learn about our team!

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    Reader Interactions

    Discussion

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    1. Ben

      July 01, 2022 at 8:40 pm

      This recipe is amazing. Every time I make it, I add in some shrimp sauteed in garlic and butter, and it's perfect every time. The people saying it's too lemony have no business searching "lemon herb pasta".

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Team Life As A Strawberry

        July 02, 2022 at 10:52 am

        We're SO happy you love this recipe!

        Reply
    2. carylyn

      March 14, 2021 at 10:51 pm

      Yummy! This dish was amazing. My family loved it. One teenage son wants the recipe to take to college and the other ate the rest for lunch the next day. Thank you for sharing.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Team Life As A Strawberry

        March 18, 2021 at 10:04 am

        YIPPEE! We're so happy to hear your whole family loved it!

        Reply
    3. Valerie

      December 20, 2020 at 4:42 pm

      I made this. Not nice at all. Had I rinse in hot water as nobody liked it. Sorry.

      ★

      Reply
      • Team Life As A Strawberry

        December 21, 2020 at 7:51 pm

        Hi Valerie! We're sorry to hear this recipe didn't work out for you!

        Reply
    4. Randi

      October 01, 2020 at 4:36 pm

      What an amazing dish. I'm a server at a Hilton Hotel in Ct. I usually have my chef make it for me.. we do not sell hotel food..only fresh made. Well all I can say is this recipe is spot on. Will definitely make it again🌻

      Reply
      • Team Life As A Strawberry

        October 02, 2020 at 7:16 pm

        Thanks so much, Randi! We're so glad you loved it!

        Reply
    5. Reggae

      August 19, 2020 at 3:11 pm

      For the amount of pasta it was way too much lemon. We only used small lemons and all we could taste was an overpowering taste of lemon that was almost ineatable.
      The idea is really good but it lacks some other ingredients such as garlic, chili or tomatoes.

      Would try it again but would only use 1/2 or maximum 1 lemon for the given amount of pasta.

      ★

      Reply
    6. Judy Race

      August 13, 2020 at 6:13 pm

      Jessie, I'm not much of a social media person (and frankly not that great of a cook) but I must compliment you on your recipe for Easy Lemon Herb Pasta -- it is outstanding!! I have a lemon tree with many fresh lemons and your recipe gave me the confidence to try and zest (!) a lemon and make this wonderful sauce. Just wanted to say thank you!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    7. JoAnn

      May 19, 2020 at 11:44 am

      I don't know if it's just an acquired taste, but both my mom and myself did not like the flavour. And it's disappointing because it smelled really good, but was a waste of pasta.

      ★

      Reply
    8. Kelly

      May 17, 2020 at 7:58 pm

      This recipe is easy and delicious! My husband said it's the best meal he's had in a long, long, time! I added some things. I marinated chicken with a McCormick white wine marinade, grilled it, and added spinach. So happy to find a delicious and healthy lemon pasta recipe, thank you!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Nichole

        June 27, 2020 at 11:22 am

        Would this dish be too much to pair with herb lemon grilled chicken?

        Reply
    9. Nalani Parrish

      June 26, 2019 at 4:21 pm

      We made this recipe without the lemon and extra cheese! Very easy to make and soo good!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Jackie @ Life As A Strawberry

        July 01, 2019 at 1:39 pm

        Thanks Nalani!

        Reply
    10. PAULA

      June 11, 2019 at 7:26 pm

      Can't wait to make this.

      Reply
    11. Sumaiya Shabbir

      December 22, 2018 at 10:58 pm

      Can i add slow cooked salsa chicken to it? I want to but i think it will mask the lemony flavor? And if i should add it.. then at which step?

      Reply

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