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    Lemon Pasta with Spinach

    Published: May 29, 2023 by Vinny and Marisa · This post may contain affiliate links · 5 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    If you're looking for an amazing date night pasta that's done in 30 minutes, look no further. Lemon pasta with spinach is the perfect meal.

    lemon spinach pasta with lemons, zest and pecorino on side

    There is nothing like a nice lemon dish in the summer. Summertime calls for these bright citrusy pastas and dishes. It is also the time we want to be cooking in the kitchen for the least amount of time. It's hot out, there are a million things going on, and most of the time, we're outside on the grill.

    Lemon pasta with spinach requires a minimal amount of time to use the burners. It is so delicious, light, and creamy without any heavy cream. Anytime I can get a creamy dish without the dairy, I'm happy. Try this dish and you won't be disappointed.

    Ingredients for Lemon Pasta with Spinach

    Lemons, spinach, garlic and pecorino on a cutting board. Preparation picture
    • ½ lb spaghetti
    • 2 lemons
    • ½ cup pecorino romano
    • 1 tsp black pepper
    • 2 handfuls spinach
    • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
    • 2 tbsp olive oil (for spinach)
    • 3 tbsp olive oil (for lemon cheese mixture)
    • 3 tbsp Unsalted Butter

    Substitutions and Ingredient Notes

    Spaghetti. Spaghetti is my choice of pasta for this dish. I think a long pasta goes really well with this but I would also try it with rigatoni or penne.

    Spinach. Feel free to leave the spinach out if you're not interested in it or just don't have it. You can skip the whole step with the garlic then and you won't need any olive oil in the pan. Just go straight with the butter and then add the pasta for the best results if you skip spinach. I do feel like if you clicked the link that says Lemon Pasta with Spinach, you're probably here for the spinach.

    Pecorino Romano. You can easily substitute parmesan or grana padano. Either or would be perfectly fine. But pecorino romano has a sharp taste that will be missed in my opinion. Parmesan should give you a nice nutty flavor though.

    How to Make Lemon Pasta with Spinach

    This recipe is an easy weeknight meal. It's a perfect recipe for two! It's really very similar to cooking a carbonara. The only difference is there is no raw egg, so less chance of the sauce "pilling." But that makes it a whole lot easier.

    Lemon spaghetti with spinach

    Preparation

    Preparation is the key to making this recipe quickly and easily. Start by zesting 1 whole lemon. Then squeeze the juice from both lemons into a small bowl. Combine pecorino romano, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Save a little bit of zest for garnishing. Add 3 tablespoon olive oil to the mixture and whisk together. Set aside for later.

    Making the Pasta

    This recipe requires you to finish the recipe in the pan so we're going to cook the pasta only to al dente. In a pot, bring water to a boil. Salt the water and add the spaghetti. Boil until al dente. Save 1 cup of pasta water. As soon as you put the spaghetti in the water, start heating up the saucepan for the next step.

    Bring the saucepan to medium heat. Add 2 tablespoon of olive oil and the crushed garlic and saute until browned on both sides. Remove the garlic from the pan. Add the spinach and wilt for 1 minute. Push the spinach to the side of the pan and add butter. This will make sure the spinach doesn't soak up all the butter.

    Once the butter is melted, drain the spaghetti and add it to the saucepan. Mix it with the spinach. Remove the pan from the heat and keep mixing to slightly cool the pan for about 1 minute. Add the lemon mixture with ½ a cup of pasta water. Stir until the pasta becomes creamy. Add more pasta water to adjust the texture. The sauce should cling to the spaghetti but at the same time be creamy enough to fall off it. Adding more pasta water will help slightly thin it out, but don't be afraid to use it.

    Spaghetti with lemon, pecorino, and spinach.

    Serve the pasta with extra pecorino romano and lemon zest. This dish goes great with chicken cutlets! I love to have it with cutlets and a serving of green beans or asparagus. Nothing like some grilled lemon asparagus.

    How to Reheat Lemon Pasta with Spinach

    Add the pasta to a pan with olive oil and a splash of chicken broth. Stir until the pasta is warmed through. The cheese may get a little oily during the reheating process. But luckily, this dish is so quick to make from the start, so you can make it fresh in less than 30 minutes!

    Lemon pasta is a classic Italian dish. Share it with your family or your lover and I guarantee they will love it! Let us know what you think about the recipe below by leaving a comment or review. Follow us on Instagram @vindelgiudice or Tiktok @alwaysfromscratch.

    Try some other quick pasta recipes like these!

    Spaghetti with garlic and oil with fresh parsley, parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper

    Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil

    pasta on grey plate with parsley in background

    Creamy Mushroom Pasta

    Penne with eggplant, tomatoes, and basil

    Simple Pasta with Eggplant

    📖 Recipe

    lemon spinach pasta with lemons, zest and pecorino on side
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Lemon Pasta with Spinach

    A bright and creamy dish with lemon butter sauce and spinach. A perfect dish for a quick weeknight meal.
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time15 minutes mins
    Total Time30 minutes mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: quick pasta
    Servings: 2 people
    Calories: 400kcal
    Cost: $10

    Equipment

    • 1 large saucepan
    • 1 4 qt pot

    Ingredients

    • ½ lb spaghetti
    • 2 lemons
    • ½ cup pecorino romano
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • 2 handfuls spinach
    • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil (for spinach)
    • 3 tablespoon olive oil (for lemon cheese mixture)
    • 3 tablespoon Unsalted Butter

    Instructions

    • Zest 1 whole lemon. Then squeeze the juice from both lemons into a small bowl. Combine pecorino romano, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Add 3 tablespoon olive oil. Set aside.
    • In a pot bring water to a boil. Salt the water and add the spaghetti. Boil until al dente. Save 1 cup of pasta water.
    • Bring a saucepan to medium heat. add 2 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the crushed garlic and saute until browned on both sides. Remove the garlic. Add the spinach and wilt for 1 minute. Push the spinach to the side of the pan and add butter. Once melted add your spaghetti and mix it with the spinach. Remove from the heat and add the lemon mixture with ½ a cup of pasta water. Stir until the pasta becomes creamy. Add more pasta water to adjust the texture.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Randy Brown

      June 14, 2023 at 11:40 am

      What do I need to do if I want to double this recipe ??
      Thanks
      Randy

      Reply
      • Vinny and Marisa

        June 15, 2023 at 10:03 am

        Of course double the ingredients. But more importantly will be timing. The step where you add the pasta to the spinach and butter will be slightly longer. Make sure you save at least 1 cup of pasta water, or the pasta will be very dry. Add the pasta to the pan, then add your lemon and cheese mixture. Add 1/2 cup of pasta water at a time, constantly stirring over low heat, until the pasta reaches a creamy texture.

        Reply
    2. Carolyn

      June 28, 2023 at 3:09 am

      Can’t wait to try your pasta recipe with spinach and lemon! Lots of other dishes sound delish too!

      Reply
      • Vinny and Marisa

        June 28, 2023 at 8:55 pm

        Hope you enjoy!

        Reply
    3. Anthony

      July 16, 2023 at 10:54 am

      5 stars
      My favorite lemon pasta out there! So creamy and delicious.

      Reply

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    Vinny DelGiudice, MS CCC-SLP

    My name is Vinny. I am a speech pathologist specializing in swallowing and voice disorders and an Italian who has been eating too much food his whole life. I want to share the recipes I grew up eating in an Italian-American home and the recipes that I cook in my home for my family. At Always From Scratch, we consider any food that we make at home a healthy meal for the family!

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