This lemon garlic spaghetti is what to cook when the cupboard looks bare and dinner needs to happen in 20 minutes. Garlic warms slowly in olive oil while the pasta boils. Lemon zest and a splash of the cloudy cooking water turn it into a light, glossy sauce that clings to every strand.
Why this works
The water the spaghetti cooks in turns cloudy with starch. Tossed with olive oil and finely grated parmesan, that starch makes a sauce that coats the pasta without any cream.
Chopped garlic burns in seconds over a high heat. Started in cold oil on a low heat, it turns pale gold and sweet in about 3 minutes, and the red pepper flakes warm through with it.
Key ingredients
- Spaghetti. Any dried spaghetti works. Thin spaghetti cooks in about 6 minutes and brings the total down to 15.
- Garlic. Four fresh cloves for two people. Jarred garlic catches and tastes flat in a sauce this simple.
- Lemon. Unwaxed if you can find one, since the zest goes in. The zest carries the flavor and the juice brings the sharpness.
- Parmesan. Grate it finely so it melts into the sauce instead of clumping. Pecorino works the same way.
Amounts for 1 to 6 people are in the recipe card below, in grams or cups.
Method
- 01
Boil the water
Fill a large pot with water, cover it and bring it to the boil over a high heat. Water from a freshly boiled kettle gets you there faster. Salt it well.
- 02
Chop the garlic
While the water heats, peel the garlic and chop it finely. The rolling chopper takes two or three cloves at a time, so do it in two loads.
Rolling Garlic Chopper - 03
Cook the spaghetti
Set the measurer to 2, fill it with spaghetti and drop the bundle into the boiling water. Cook for 1 minute less than the packet says, stirring once or twice.
Adjustable Spaghetti Measurer, Pack of 2 - 04
Warm the garlic
Put the oil, garlic and red pepper flakes in a large skillet, then turn the heat to low. Let the garlic sizzle gently for 3 to 4 minutes until pale gold. If it browns fast, lift the pan off the heat: burnt garlic tastes bitter.
- 05
Drain and toss
Scoop out a mug of the cooking water, then drain the spaghetti with the clip on strainer. Tip the pasta into the skillet with the parmesan and a good splash of the water, and toss over a low heat for 1 to 2 minutes until glossy.
Clip-On Pot Strainer - 06
Finish with lemon
Grate the lemon zest straight over the pan, squeeze in the juice and add the parsley. Toss again, season with salt and pepper and serve with more parmesan.
Rasp Zester and Fine Grater
What to serve it with
A green salad dressed with lemon and olive oil, or garlic bread for bigger appetites. For more protein, serve it beside the garlic butter chicken or stir through the chili lime shrimp.
Storing and reheating
- Fridge
- Cover and eat within 2 days.
- Freezer
- Best skipped. The oil and cheese sauce turns grainy once thawed.
- Reheat
- In a skillet over a low heat with a splash of water, until piping hot.
Questions
Yes. Add an extra splash of pasta water and a little more oil so the sauce still coats the spaghetti, then top with toasted breadcrumbs for the savory crunch the cheese would give.
There wasn't enough pasta water, or the pan was too hot when the cheese went in. Take it off the heat, add another splash of water and toss hard. It comes back together.
You can, but most of the lemon flavor is in the zest, which bottled juice can't give you. Use a fresh lemon if you have one.
Long, thin shapes such as spaghetti, linguine or bucatini. The sauce is too light for big tubes like rigatoni.
Recipe
Lemon garlic spaghetti in 20 minutes
Garlic warmed slowly in olive oil, lemon zest and a splash of starchy pasta water. By Hannah Ellis.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
Method
- 01Fill a large pot with water, cover it and bring it to the boil over a high heat. Water from a freshly boiled kettle gets you there faster. Salt it well.
- 02While the water heats, peel the garlic and chop it finely. The rolling chopper takes two or three cloves at a time, so do it in two loads.
- 03Set the measurer to 2, fill it with spaghetti and drop the bundle into the boiling water. Cook for 1 minute less than the packet says, stirring once or twice.
- 04Put the oil, garlic and red pepper flakes in a large skillet, then turn the heat to low. Let the garlic sizzle gently for 3 to 4 minutes until pale gold. If it browns fast, lift the pan off the heat: burnt garlic tastes bitter.
- 05Scoop out a mug of the cooking water, then drain the spaghetti with the clip on strainer. Tip the pasta into the skillet with the parmesan and a good splash of the water, and toss over a low heat for 1 to 2 minutes until glossy.
- 06Grate the lemon zest straight over the pan, squeeze in the juice and add the parsley. Toss again, season with salt and pepper and serve with more parmesan.
