Description
This Lemon Pepper Spaghetti is a light and refreshing pasta dish that’s bursting with flavor! Tender spaghetti is tossed with fresh spinach, garlic, and a vibrant lemon sauce, then finished with Pecorino Romano cheese. It’s a simple yet satisfying recipe that’s perfect for a quick weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups packed baby spinach
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
- 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Cook spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ยฝ cup pasta water before draining.
- Sautรฉ Spinach and Garlic: While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add spinach and garlic; cook until spinach wilts.
- Add Flavor: Stir in red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
- Combine and Finish: Add cooked pasta to the skillet and toss with the sauce. Add ยผ cup of reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce, if needed. Remove from heat and stir in Pecorino Romano cheese.
- Serve: Serve immediately with extra Pecorino Romano cheese on the side.
Notes
- You can use other long pasta shapes, such as linguine or fettuccine, instead of spaghetti.
- If you don’t have Pecorino Romano cheese, you can substitute with Parmesan cheese.
- For a vegan version, omit the cheese and use nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ยฝ cups
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 20mg