This one pot pasta dish is light and refreshing, and beyond easy to make. The ingredients are simple, but the taste is to-die-for! We absolutely love this recipe that sneaks in some leafy greens, but still tastes comforting and delicious.

a spoon lifting a scoop of lemon garlic pasta from a pot

What is one pot pasta?

If you have been making our recipes for a while, then you are probably familiar with one pot pasta dishes like our crack chicken pasta and this Cheddar cheese herb chicken.. If not, get ready for your life to change for the better. Single pot pasta has been a game changing recipe and busy weeknight staple in our house.

One pot pasta is the easiest, most delicious pasta dish you will ever make. You are basically just cooking all of the ingredients along with the pasta noodles in one single dish. This makes the pasta more flavorful, and it also makes cooking way less time-consuming.

overhead of lemon garlic pasta with spinach and parmesan cheese

The benefit of making one pot pasta

We absolutely love one pot pasta. In fact, we have assembled a list of some of our favorites right here! This time-saving recipe is incredible. It only makes one dish to clean after you have cooked.

If you’re like us, that is music to your ears! We love a simple recipe that packs in the flavor AND keeps our kitchen sink easier to manage. Because everything is cooking in one pot, you will just have to clean up the pot and the plates you eat on.

While the easy cleanup is definitely one of the best parts of one pot pasta, it is not the only benefit. The flavor you get from cooking the pasta with all the ingredients is just so good!!

Instead of boiling the pasta in water, we cook it straight in broth along with salt and garlic to develop the sauce. This adds an extra layer to the taste profile of this dish because the noodles absorb the flavors that it is cooking in.

overhead image of a pot of lemon garlic pasta with a wooden spoon sticking out

How to make one pot lemon garlic pasta

Pour the pasta of your choice into a deep pot or dutch oven.
Sprinkle in salt and chopped garlic, followed by broth. Heat up the pot on the stovetop and bring it up to a boil. Cover and cook the pasta for about 10-12 minutes or until pasta is al-dente.
When cooked, squeeze in the juice from one lemon. After adding lemon juice, add in lemon zest and give it a quick mix.
Pour in heavy cream, spinach and chopped parsley. Give everything a mix and allow the spinach to wilt from the heat of the pasta.
Sprinkle on shredded parmesan and mix it one more time.
Serve with a lemon wedge, fresh parsley and a sprinkle of parm!

close up overhead image of lemon garlic pasta on wooden spoon

Variations you can make to this recipe

This dish is super versatile, and lends itself to some easy variations. Whether you need to make a modification to accommodate a food allergy, or simply want to add in some more components, you can’t go wrong.

Here are some easy changes you can make to this recipe:

You can easily turn this into a gluten free pasta recipe by swapping in your favorite gluten-free pasta. We recommend to follow the instructions for the cook time on the box of gluten free pasta you use. Wheat pasta is a bit more hearty than gluten free pasta, so the noodles may break apart if you cook them for too long.
If you are following a dairy-free diet but love this recipe, you can absolutely make this dairy free! You can either omit the heavy cream and shredded parmesan cheese altogether, or switch them out for a dairy-free alternative. Oat creamer has the most mild flavor of plant-based milks, and has a similar texture to heavy cream. There are also plenty of dairy free substitutes for parmesan you can use!
To easily make this recipe healthier, you can add in more veggies! We find that broccoli and artichokes compliment the acidity of this lemony pasta recipe. Eggplant and zucchini are two other vegetables that pair well with lemon garlic pasta, and would taste incredible in this!
If you are not a fan of spinach you can switch up the greens. Swiss chard or arugula are delicious alternatives to spinach that will taste great alongside the rest of the ingredients in this dish. You can also remove the spinach and not replace it with another leafy green if you prefer.

How to store leftover one pot lemon garlic pasta

If you have leftovers, you can keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. We recommend reheating on the stove top with a splash of water. But the microwave works well too! The extra bit of water prevents the pasta noodles from drying out during the process of reheating.

We don’t recommend freezing this pasta recipe because the sauce is so light it doesn’t defrost and reheat as well as some of our creamier pasta recipes.