Get ready for a burst of flavor with our One-Pot Lemon Garlic Parmesan Pasta! It’s a delightful fusion of light, refreshing notes that effortlessly come together. Despite the simplicity of the ingredients, the taste is nothing short of extraordinary. We’ve added a touch of green goodness to keep it fresh, ensuring it remains both comforting and delicious. Brace yourself for a dish that’s not just easy; it’s a to-die-for delight!
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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 game-changing — it’s a 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.
The benefit of making one pot pasta
We’re head over heels for one-pot pasta! It’s the kitchen superhero we never knew we needed – making flavorful, fuss-free meals with minimal cleanup. In fact, we have assembled a list of some of our favorites right here! This particular time-saving recipe is incredible. It only dirties 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. With everything cooking in a single pot, your post-dinner cleanup is a breeze.
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 the 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.
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!
Variations you can make to this recipe
The beauty of this dish lies in its versatility – it’s a canvas waiting for your creative touch. Whether you’re making a tweak to accommodate a food allergy or feeling adventurous and want to add extra components, the possibilities are endless. With easy variations, you simply 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 complement 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.
Common Questions about One Pot Lemon Garlic Parmesan Pasta
Absolutely! Try adding some sautéed shrimp, chicken, or even cannellini beans. Just cook your protein first, set it aside, then add it back at the end to prevent overcooking – nobody wants rubbery shrimp or dry chicken in their perfect pasta!
This usually means there’s too much cooking liquid or the pasta hasn’t had enough time to absorb it. Keep simmering and stirring occasionally – the sauce will thicken up as the pasta releases its starches and the liquid reduces.
While it’s best served fresh (when the sauce is at its creamiest), you can make it ahead. When reheating, add a splash of broth or pasta water and a touch of butter to bring back that silky texture – it’ll be almost as good as fresh!
Give it a good stir right after adding the pasta to the pot, and stir occasionally throughout cooking.
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.
One Pot Lemon Garlic Parmesan Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 ounces shellbow pasta or pasta shells
- 1 teaspoon salt more or less to taste
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper more or less to taste
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- Lemon zest from 1 lemon
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsely
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese shavings
Instructions
- Pour the pasta into a deep pot or dutch oven.16 ounces shellbow pasta or pasta shells
- Sprinkle in salt, pepper, 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 10-12 minutes or until pasta is al-dente.4 cups low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth, 4 cloves minced garlic, 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt
- When cooked, squeeze in the juice from one lemon, zest and give it a quick mix.juice of 1/2 lemon, Lemon zest from 1 lemon
- Pour in heavy cream, spinach and chopped parsley. Give everything a mix and allow the spinach to wilt from the heat of the pasta.1 cup heavy cream, 3 cups fresh baby spinach, 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsely
- Sprinkle on shredded parmesan and mix it one more time.1/2 cup parmesan cheese shavings
- Serve with a lemon wedge, fresh parsley and a sprinkle of parm!1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Equipment
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m not sure if I am supposed to use juice of 1 lemon or 1/2 lemon?
Hi Aimee! We use the juice of half a lemon and the zest from the entire lemon.
Hope this helps!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa