If you want an impressive date-night pasta ready in just 30 minutes, this lemon pasta with spinach is perfect. Bright, creamy, and simple to make, it’s one of our favorite quick dinners.
For more easy pasta ideas, try the linked recipes in the original recipe collection for variety and inspiration.
A Quick Look at The Recipe
- ✅Recipe Name: Lemon Pasta with Spinach
- ⏲️Ready in: 30 minutes
- 👪Makes: 2 servings
- 📋Main ingredients: Spaghetti, lemon, pecorino
- ⭐Why You’ll Love This Recipe: Bright, creamy lemon pasta that comes together in under 30 minutes without heavy cream — the sauce is emulsified from butter, pasta water, olive oil, and pecorino for a silky finish.
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Why Pasta in the Summer
There’s nothing quite like a citrusy pasta in summer. Lemon-based dishes feel bright and light when it’s warm out, and this lemon spinach pasta fits the bill: vibrant, satisfying, and quick so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the season.
This dish offers a creamy texture without heavy cream by relying on an emulsion of cheese, pasta water, and butter. I like to serve it alongside a simple protein — cutlets, grilled chicken, or lemon-butter chicken work especially well — and a side of green beans or asparagus for a fresh summer meal.
Substitutions and Ingredient Notes
- Spaghetti. Long pasta is my preference, but rigatoni or penne will also work.
- Spinach. Optional — if you omit it, skip the garlic step and go straight to melting the butter before tossing the pasta in the pan.
- Pecorino Romano. Parmesan or Grana Padano can be substituted, though pecorino adds a sharper flavor that complements the lemon very well.
See the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and details.
How to Make Lemon Pasta with Spinach
This is a straightforward weeknight recipe for two that uses the same finishing technique as a classic carbonara-style emulsion, but without eggs. The result is a glossy, cling-y sauce that coats the pasta.
Step 1: Zest one lemon and squeeze the juice from both lemons into a small bowl.
Step 2: Mix pecorino romano with the lemon zest and lemon juice. Add about 3 tablespoons of olive oil and whisk until combined. Reserve a bit of zest for garnish and set the mixture aside.
Step 3: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. While the pasta cooks, warm a large saucepan over medium heat.
Step 4: Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the crushed garlic to the pan. Sauté the garlic until it’s browned, then remove it from the pan to prevent bitterness.
Step 5: Add the spinach and wilt it for about one minute. Push the spinach to the side of the pan and remove the garlic if you haven’t already.
Step 6: Add the butter and let it melt away from the spinach so the leaves don’t soak it all up.
Step 7: Drain the spaghetti and add it to the saucepan. Toss the pasta with the spinach and butter off the heat for about a minute to slightly cool the pan.
Step 8: Add the lemon-pecorino mixture and about ½ cup of reserved pasta water. Stir vigorously until the sauce emulsifies and the pasta becomes creamy. Add more pasta water as needed to reach a sauce that clings to the noodles but still falls off them easily.
Serve with extra pecorino and a sprinkle of lemon zest. This pasta pairs beautifully with simple proteins like Italian chicken cutlets or grilled chicken and a side of vegetables.
Pro Tips
- Grate the pecorino very finely from a block; finely grated cheese melts smoothly and avoids small clumps.
- Remove the pan from the heat before adding the lemon-cheese mixture, then add a little hot pasta water to help create a glossy emulsion.
- If the sauce starts to clump, add hot pasta water and toss vigorously to re-emulsify.
FAQs about Lemon Spinach Pasta
Reheat gently in a pan with a little olive oil and a splash of chicken or vegetable broth, stirring until warmed through. The cheese may separate slightly, so a quick fresh reheat or making it fresh is often best.
Pull the pan off the heat before adding the lemon-cheese mixture and add hot pasta water as you stir to create a smooth emulsion.
Add hot pasta water and toss vigorously to bring the sauce back together.
Quick Pasta Recipes
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Creamy Garlic Mushroom Pasta
-
Pasta with Peas and Pancetta
-
15-Minute Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil
-
Simple Pasta with Eggplant and Tomatoes
Lemon pasta is a timeless Italian-style dish that’s quick and satisfying. If you try this recipe, leave feedback or a review in the recipe card below—feedback helps improve it and makes it easier for others to enjoy.
Lemon Pasta with Spinach
Vincent DelGiudice
Equipment
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1 large saucepan
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1 4 qt pot
Ingredients
- ½ lb spaghetti
- 2 lemons
- ½ cup pecorino romano 90g
- 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
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Zest one lemon and squeeze the juice from both lemons into a small bowl. Combine pecorino, lemon zest, and lemon juice; add 3 tablespoons olive oil and set aside.
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Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
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Heat a saucepan over medium, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the crushed garlic. Sauté until browned, then remove the garlic. Add the spinach and wilt for 1 minute. Push the spinach aside, add the butter and let it melt. Add the drained spaghetti, toss with the spinach off the heat, then pour in the lemon-cheese mixture with ½ cup pasta water. Stir until creamy, adding more pasta water to adjust texture.
Video
Notes
- Grate the pecorino very fine from a block for a smooth sauce; pre-grated cheese can clump.
- Remove the pan from heat before adding the lemon-cheese mixture and use pasta water to create the emulsion.
- If the sauce clumps, add hot pasta water and toss vigorously to bring it back together.