One Pot Lemon Butter Pasta (Pasta al Limone)

This easy one pot lemon butter pasta recipe is a quick summer meal. Spaghetti in a lemon garlic sauce (Pasta al Limone) without cream is a classic in Southern Italy. It's buttery, rich, bright, & tangy. It cooks in less than 30 minutes so enjoy the gourmet flavor even on busy weeknights.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings

Calories 420 kcal

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 ½-3 cups chicken broth low-sodium or vegetable broth works too
½ cup lemon juice fresh- squeezed
½ pound spaghetti 8 ounces dry pasta
4 tablespoons salted butter
1 tablespoon lemon zest
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley and/or basil minced
black pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large pot or skillet with tall sides, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
2 tablespoons olive oil
Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes, stir and cook for 1 minute to make fragrant and activate the spices in the oil.
4 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Deglaze the pan with 2.5 cups of the broth and lemon juice, stir to scrape up any bits. Bring the broth to a low simmering boil over medium-high heat.
NOTE: keep the additional half cup of broth to the side as it may be needed in the next step.
½ cup lemon juice, 2 ½-3 cups chicken broth
Add the spaghetti to the pot or pan, stir to get the liquid combined with the dry pasta so that the pasta separates - tongs works best for this. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed in the pasta.
Use tongs to stir every few minutes while cooking to ensure all the pasta is cooked and nothing is sticking together - the pasta should take about 8-10 minutes.
NOTE: add more broth (2 tablespoons at a time) if needed if it dries up too quickly & until the pasta is cooked
½ pound spaghetti
Once the pasta is al dente and a starchy sauce has developed, add the butter to the pan. Stir and heat until melted and the silky sauce develops.
4 tablespoons salted butter
Turn off the heat and add the remaining ingredients. Use tongs to toss and coat the pasta with the buttery lemon sauce.
1 tablespoon lemon zest, ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley and/or basil, black pepper
Serve in individual pasta bowls or plates, top with additional parmesan, black pepper, or fresh herbs like parsley & basil.

Notes

STORING & REHEATING:

Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
To reheat, add a bit of butter to a skillet and reheat over medium heat.

SUBSTITUTES & VARIATIONS:

Use bottled lemon juice and omit the zest if you are in a pinch, it will not be as lemony.
Use gluten-free pasta if needed for allergy or health reasons. This has not been tested but I have done it with other recipes and it requires more broth and a longer cooking time- adjust as needed.

Nutrition

Calories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 11gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 753mgPotassium: 219mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 484IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 87mgIron: 1mg

Keyword citrus, easy, Italian, meatless, one pot, pasta, simple, spring, stovetop, winter

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