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Lemon Pepper Pasta
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
 

Lemon pepper pasta is the ultimate 5 ingredient dish that comes together insanely fast. The bright lemon flavor is complimented by a peppercorn mix for some heat, fresh herbs, and of course lots of fresh parmigiano-reggiano cheese!

Ingredients
  • Kosher Salt
  • 1 Lb. Spaghetti, or your favorite pasta shape (gluten-free works well!)
  • ¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Mixed Peppercorns (black, pink, green, red, and white), finely crushed*
  • ¼ Cup Fresh Lemon Juice + The Zest, about 2 lemons
  • 1 Cup Mixed Fresh Herbs, I like basil, parsley, and chives
  • 1 ½ Cups Freshly Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, plus extra for tossing
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season it generously with kosher salt. This step is very important as it’s the only time to salt the pasta! Add in your pasta and cook it to al dente. Drain and reserve 2 cups of the pasta.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over low heat in a small skillet. Add in the ground pepper and allow it to sizzle and cook for about 1 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl. Set aside to cool.
  3. Whisk in the lemon zest and juice and then a cup of the pasta water.
  4. Toss the pasta well with the sauce and herbs. Then, start adding small handfuls of the cheese allowing it to melt into the pasta as you toss. Don’t add all the cheese at once or it will end up being a clumpy mess! Add additional pasta water if you need to.
  5. Give the lemon pepper pasta a taste and add salt if it needs it.
  6. Serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil and lots of parm. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes

*You can crush whole peppercorns in a mortar and pestle, a peppermill, or pop them into a baggie and use a rolling pin!