Giada's Classic Lemon Spaghetti
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Ingredients
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1 pound spaghetti chitarra
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2/3 cup olive oil
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2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
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½ teaspoons lemon oregano salt
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, season generously with salt add the spaghetti chitarra. Cook until tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the pasta cooks, whisk together the Coratina olive oil, Parmigiano Reggiano, lemon juice and zest, and ½ teaspoon of salt in a large bowl until well blended.
- Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the lemon-Parmesan mixture and toss to coat, adding the reserved cooking liquid a little at a time (about 1/4 cup at a time) until the sauce is silky and clings to the noodles. Allow this to sit for a few minutes, tossing occasionally - the sauce will thicken as the pasta soaks it up. Taste and season with additional lemon oregano salt as needed.
- Garnish with lemon zest, fresh basil, and more Parmigiano if desired.
28 comments
It oddly wouldn’t let me click on the fifth star to give it a 5-star rating. LOVED this! Yes, I reduced the olive oil just a bit, but this recipe was AMAZING! I could see it being great with grilled or baked chicken for a little protein. The lemony flavor was dreamy! I did have to use quite a few more lemons than the recipe called for, I think she may have those huge amalfi coast lemons! 🍋 FABULOUS recipe – I’ll be making this again and again!
Simple and incredible, I loved it!
I make a similar recipe, but with way less olive oil. One tablespoon for 8 ounces of pasta since I halve the recipe for my husband and I. Cheese is only grated on top when serving. Someone asked why there were so many calories and fat in this recipe. The pasta is half the calories since it serves 4. The fat is coming from the olive oil and cheese. If you want less fat, cut back on the sauce. The photo shows it swimming in it. Ick.
I found this recipe to have too much salt and lemon. Less is more. I might try it again using 1/2 the lemon and no salt. The cheese has enough.
I love this pasta dish, exactly as written. I was already making the dish with Shrimp, from a previous recipe, but it's excellent on it's own too.. There are two of us, so I half the sauce ingredients and the pasta, but use a pound of shrimp when I make that one. Aside from the shrimp, the recipe is exactly the same. DELICIOUS!
I add a Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice & the zest of 1/2 lemon to the water while the pasta is cooking:)
Can someone explain how this has 43g fat and 817 cals? or is that for all four portions combined?
Giada, Your Puerto Rican Husband Loved it! :) lol, jk, xoxo!
I’m a citrus fanatic…. This did not disappoint. I was out of this world satisfied at the flavor and amazing comfort this dish provides. I could eat it daily!
I love this lemon pasta recipe! I have also made it with fusilli pasta and mixed in some ricotta cheese. I also add fresh cracked black pepper. You can also throw in some fresh spinach leaves, and let it wilt with the hot sauce. This is such a comfort food for me. The lemon flavor gets even stronger when you eat it leftover, which I love. If the sauce gets tight, just add some water or broth before or as you reheat.
My Italian husband loved it!
Not yet cooked it. Saving that for the weekend. Will add the taste result later. But, golly gosh it sounds just perfect for prawns etc. Grazie mille e tanti auguri di buon compleanno. And from here in Wales "Diolch yn fawr a phen-blwydd hapus iawn
Love this pasta as it is tangy and delicious. It really depends on the lemons here that you juice. If the lemons are super sour then adjusting the other ingredients will balance it out. I like to use one regular Sunkist lemon and then a Meyer lemon that is a bit sweeter. Just my preference and I have used all Sunkist before and it was great. I actually like the recipe as is and would not change the oil amount.
So delicious and easy!!! I used less oil… am going to try leftovers cold.
This is a fast and easy recipe! I paired this with white fish and it was a nice complement – I'm not sure I'd want to eat this for a main course, but it depends on your mood. Goes without saying – you need to be a lemon-lover to like this recipe. Also – I was careful not to use too much EVOO based on other reviews. I did about a 1/4 cup of EVOO and juice from 2 lemons – still was a little too lemony and I should have been more careful with measuring the lemon juice. The grated parm cheese was perfect and the basil gives it a nice kick. I feel like this is the kind of recipe that is good, solid but could also really grow on you where you might have a craving for it ie: late at night. LOL.
light and easy! What Capri wine would you suggest? If you use a good evoo and freshly grated parmigiano along with a couple of scoops of pasta water as directed, let it all sit at room temperature and keep whisking, your spaghetti will just absorb all the flavors!! May even pair it with some grilled shrimps next time!
simplesmente deicioso.
I tried it follow the recipe pasta was slimy wont attempt to cook again.
Amazing recipe! Found the key to be adding the pasta water while it's still HOT because it melts the cheese. Love this recipe!!
Usually Giada knocks it out of the park, but this was an oily mess and I only used 1/3 cup EVOO. The cheese was all congealed together- it was just bad. Also, I needed 3 lemons to even get close to the 1/2 cup. I might try this again but with only a couple of tablespoons of oil, less cheese. I added arugula at the end, which was pretty good, so I definitely suggest that! It might even be better chilled with arugula as more of a pasta salad. I hope this helps anyone who wants to try this recipe! I had high hopes…I saw other reviews said the oil was too much as well, so use as you see fit. :)
Effortlessly amazing. I have made many lemon pasta dishes and this is by far the most simple. Although I prefer gigli pasta for this, to spaghettii. I also have made this often with red lentil pasta and it is fabulous with non-wheat pasta options. And I always sprinkle pinoli with the ribbons of fresh basil for a wonderful taste profile and heaps of healthful benefits.
I had this at Giada Vegas and it had mascarpone in it. When is that added to the above recipe?
The 2/3 Cup of olive oil was a little too much. I found 1/3 Cup or a little more along with the saved pasta cooking water was sufficient. Have used this as side dish to many other proteins (chicken, fish, pork). Also works for other shapes. Good sauce for pasta salad as it provides a nice base for the other ingredients
NB … the poached chicken is served on the side with spaghetti, again with loads of lemon juice squeezed over…
Hi from üá®üáæCyprus , we Cypriots have been cooking pasta with lemons forever……. We poach a whole chicken about 1.5kgs simmering gently, for about 1hr 20 mins ,then with this stock we cook üá®üáæ spaghetti, or artisan homemade macaroni …Served in a large platter with loads of grated halloumi, + anari-similar to ricotta salada , which is then mixed with crushed dried mint…and liberally sprinkled over pasta… üçãüçãfresh lemon wedges ALWAYS served on the side to squeeze over individual servings or to taste…. we use lemon in almost everything , try over fried eggs with fresh cracked pepper +Cypriot sea flakes,and liberal sprinklings of üçãjuice .. it‚Äôs very Cypriot . My Yiayia (nonna) always made homemade pasta with durum wheat, fresh macaroni, using a reed, or hand cut tagliatelles as we say in greek, you see, pasta making is an age old tradition of the past, going back for hundreds of years in time ,here in Cyprus, in fact our ancient wheat variety, made into flour was famous, and exported to Italy for use in pasta making.