Easy Lemon Herb Pasta

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. 

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Oh heyyyyyy, internet!

I made you some pasta.

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

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.

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).

Easy Lemon Herb Pasta

★★★★ 3.7 from 3 reviews

• Author: Jessie
• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 20 min
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: Serves 2-4 1x

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Description

A quick and easy lemon herb pasta for busy weeknights.

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Ingredients

• 2 large lemons
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese (see recipe notes)
• 1/2 lb. spaghetti
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped basil

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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.

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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

• Calories: 398

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