Name: Lemon Basil Pasta
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 16 ounces spaghetti; 1/4 cup olive oil; 2 tablespoons butter; 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or ground pepper); 1 lemon (juiced and zested); 1/3 cup chopped basil (about 1 small bunch); Parmesan cheese (for serving)

Recipe

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Turn your next pasta night into a flavorful feast with this quick recipe for lemon basil pasta!

When dinner calls for a delicious meal I can assemble in no time, this easy lemon basil pasta always hits the spot.

Pasta with Lemon Basil Sauce

My family and I have a thing for basil pesto pasta, so when I run out of pesto sauce but still want to enjoy those flavors, I cook this simple pasta with lemon and basil.

It’s the perfect fix when you need to put together a homemade meal everyone will devour. It’s done in 20 minutes, feels restaurant-like, and is much healthier than any instant noodles.

Ingredients

This recipe combines pasta with a delicious sauce made with butter, garlic, lemon (juice and zest), chopped basil, and red pepper flakes for a pinch of spice (you can use ground pepper instead).

Chopping Fresh Basil

The easiest way to chop fresh basil is to remove the leaves from the stem, place them one over the other, roll them, and cut them into strips, working in batches if necessary.

How to Make Lemon Basil Pasta

While the pasta cooks, combine all the sauce ingredients (except basil) in a pan and cook for a few minutes until the garlic is slightly toasted, stirring constantly to keep the mix from sticking. If it's too thick, add a little pasta water and stir. Pour the sauce over the pasta, add basil, and toss to combine.

Tips for Perfect Pasta

When cooking lemon basil pasta, keep these tips in mind to enjoy the most delicious pasta sauce:

Prevent sticking
Making this sauce takes only 2 minutes; that’s how long you have to stir it with a wooden spoon to keep it from sticking to the pan.

Reserve pasta water
The pasta water contains the starch that the pasta releases while cooking. If the sauce is too thick, add pasta water to thin it out and coat the pasta evenly.

Cook garlic just enough
You’ll know the sauce is done when the garlic is golden brown, toasted, and fragrant, but not burned!

What to add to this pasta dish
The possibilities are endless when it comes to ingredient add-ons. I love using rotisserie chicken to round out my favorite pasta dishes, and I find that summer squash is a delicious way to enhance a pasta dinner as well.

What to Serve With It

Serve a simple side salad or quick pan asparagus on the side to add extra nutrition to this exquisite lemon basil pasta. I also love to serve this dish with fluffy popovers or baked cheese twists. Delish!

Lemon Basil Pasta

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 20

Turn your next pasta night into a flavorful feast with this quick recipe for lemon basil pasta!

5 from 20 votes

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Ingredients

16 ounces spaghetti
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or ground pepper
1 lemon, juiced and zested
⅓ cup chopped basil, about 1 small bunch
Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

Cook the pasta:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining the pasta and returning it to the pot. While the pasta cooks, make the sauce.

Make the sauce:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the olive oil, butter, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Cook the mixture for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the garlic is toasted to a golden color and fragrant but not burned. Turn off the heat.