Name: One-Pan Lemon Pasta
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 12 oz spaghetti; 4 cups water; 2 lemons, zested and juiced; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tbsp olive oil; 0.5 cup grated parmesan; 1 tsp kosher salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

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One-Pan Lemon Pasta

StovetopEasyPrep 5 minCook 15 minServes 4

Everything cooks in one pan — pasta, lemon, garlic and parmesan — and dinner is done in twenty minutes.

Ingredients

12 oz spaghetti
4 cups water
2 lemons, zested and juiced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
½ cup grated parmesan
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Steps

Combine the spaghetti, water, lemon zest, garlic, olive oil and salt in a large skillet.
Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook 12-15 minutes, stirring often, until the pasta is tender and the liquid turns saucy.
Stir in the parmesan and lemon juice off the heat.
Rest 2 minutes, scatter with parsley and serve.

Serve with: grilled chicken or a green salad.

Keep the heat at a steady simmer and stir often so the pasta cooks evenly.

Find this recipe in the Pasta section on the RecipeDelish home page, where you can scale it, print a clean PDF, download the shopping list and use cook mode.

Tips & mistakes

Stir often, especially in the first minutes — the pasta sticks together while it softens and clumps into one mass.
Keep it at a steady simmer, not a boil: too hot and the water evaporates before the pasta is done.
Add the parmesan off the heat, or it clumps instead of melting into the sauce.
If the pan looks dry before the pasta is tender, add water a splash at a time — never a whole cup at once.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use another pasta shape? Yes: short shapes like penne or fusilli work; adjust the water slightly if needed. Short shapes absorb water a little differently, so check a minute earlier than the package time.

Can I add protein? Yes: cooked shrimp or chicken stirred in at the end turn it into a full dinner. Add them after the heat is off so they warm through without overcooking.

Why is my sauce thin? The starch needs a couple of minutes after the heat is off to thicken; let it rest before serving. If it is still thin, the pan had too much water — use a little less next time.

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