One Pot Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta
Table of contents
Intro
When I’m in the mood for a delicious meal but don’t want a lot of dishes or effort, this one pot creamy lemon garlic pasta is one of my favorite things to make. The mafaldine cooks right in the pan with spinach, cherry tomatoes, garlic, broth, and cream, then I stir in Parmesan and fresh lemon juice at the end. The sauce gets into all those ruffled edges, and the lemon keeps it from feeling too heavy. It’s great on its own, but you could easily make it a full meal with chicken, salmon, or shrimp. In fact, while you are here, go ahead and check out these great recipes!
One Pan Creamy Lemon Chicken Linguine
Creamy Boursin Salmon Pasta Bake
One Pot Creamy Shrimp Linguine.
Creamy Lemon Garlic Orzo with Shrimp and Salmon
Creamy Lemon Chicken Orzo (30-Minute One-Pot Recipe)
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Everything cooks in one pan, including the pasta.
- There’s no separate sauce to make. The broth, cream, and pasta cook together, then Parmesan brings it all together at the end.
- Lemon, garlic, and herbes de Provence give it plenty of flavor.
- It’s easy to add chicken, salmon, or shrimp if you want a heartier meal.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dry mafaldine pasta
- 2 cups chopped baby spinach, stems removed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or less to taste
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 2½ cups chicken broth, plus a little more if needed
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt, to taste
How to Make One Pot Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta
Add everything to the pan. Place the dry mafaldine in the bottom of a wide, deep 12-inch pan. Add the chopped spinach, halved cherry tomatoes, red onion, garlic, lemon zest, butter, herbes de Provence, red pepper flakes, and white pepper. Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream.
Bring it to a boil. Turn the heat to high and let the liquid come to a boil. Put the lid on and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
Cook the pasta. Simmer for approximately 17–20 minutes, stirring occasionally and gently separating the pasta ribbons as they soften. Cook until the mafaldine is al dente. If the pan starts to look dry before the pasta is done, add a splash of chicken broth.
Finish and serve. Stir in the freshly grated Parmesan and the juice of one lemon. Give everything a good mix, then taste and add salt as needed. If you’d like a looser sauce, stir in a little more broth. Serve with extra Parmesan and red pepper flakes.
Tips and Notes
Use a wide pan. A deep 12-inch pan gives the mafaldine room to cook and makes it easier to stir the ribbons apart.
Adjust the spice to your taste. A teaspoon of red pepper flakes gives the finished pasta a bit of heat. Use less or leave them out if you prefer it mild.
Check the sauce as it cooks. The pasta should have enough liquid to keep simmering gently. Add a splash of broth if needed; you can also add a little at the end if you prefer a looser sauce.
Add protein if you like. Cooked chicken, salmon, or shrimp would all be good with the lemon garlic sauce. Stir it in at the end or serve it on top.
If you do make this recipe, please leave a comment and a rating! I love hearing from you and it helps so much! Thank you!
One Pot Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dry mafaldine pasta
- 2 cups chopped baby spinach stems removed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence or Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or less to taste
- ½ teaspoon white pepper black pepper also works, or you can omit it altogether
- 2½ cups chicken broth plus more if needed
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Place the dry mafaldine in the bottom of a wide, deep 12-inch pan. Add the spinach, cherry tomatoes, red onion, garlic, lemon zest, butter, herbes de Provence, red pepper flakes, and white pepper. Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream.
- Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
- Cook for approximately 17–20 minutes, stirring occasionally and separating the pasta ribbons as they soften, until the pasta is al dente. Add a splash of broth if the pan gets dry before the pasta finishes cooking.
- Stir in the Parmesan and lemon juice. Taste and add salt as needed. Add a little more broth if you prefer a looser sauce.
- Serve with extra Parmesan and red pepper flakes, if desired.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use another kind of pasta?
Yes, though the cooking time and amount of liquid may change. Keep an eye on the pan and add a little broth if the pasta needs more time to cook.
Do I need to sauté the onion or garlic first?
No. This is a true one pot recipe: they go into the pan with the dry pasta and cook in the broth and cream.
Can I make it less spicy?
Absolutely. Use fewer red pepper flakes or leave them out.
How do I reheat leftovers?
Add a splash of chicken broth and warm the pasta gently in the microwave on a low power setting, stirring partway through. You can also reheat it in a pan over low heat.
