Easy Lemon Butter Garlic Pasta
A quick and flavorful pasta dish made with lemon, garlic, butter, and Parmesan cheese. Ready in under 30 minutes!
Equipment
- Large pot
- Large skillet
- Colander
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound Spaghetti
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (1 stick)
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 1/4 cup Lemon Juice freshly squeezed (about 1 large lemon)
- 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese grated, plus extra for serving
- 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley chopped, optional
- to taste Salt
- to taste Black Pepper freshly ground
- 1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes optional, for spice
Instructions
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) to the melted butter and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
- Stir in the lemon juice and Parmesan cheese. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the sauce is slightly thickened.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the lemon butter sauce. Toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add a little of the reserved pasta water until you reach your desired consistency.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the fresh parsley (if using).
- Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
For a richer flavor, use a combination of butter and olive oil. You can also add cooked chicken, shrimp, or vegetables to make this a more complete meal. Feel free to adjust the amount of lemon juice and garlic to your liking.