Name: Lemon Garlic Bucatini
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 13 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 oz Bucatini; 2 cloves Garlic (finely minced); 1/2 Lemon (juiced); 1 tbsp Lemon zest; 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated); 1 tbsp Salted butter; 1 tbsp Black pepper

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You just came home from work/school, you open the fridge, and you find nothing. Did I just trigger a traumatic event in your mind? We have all been there. This lemon garlic bucatini is the solution to those days when your groceries are running low, or you yourself are running low on energy. In under 15 minutes, this easy, lemon-y, garlic-y pasta is a great dinner idea with no fuss!

Lemon garlic bucatini plated in a bowl with a fork and spoon

With back to school in full swing, I am always looking for easy dinner ideas that require minimal cooking and ingredients - hello student budget! This pasta was inspired by my easy chilli garlic noodles, which are another great option for an easy 15 minute meal! For another delicious, easy spin on lemony pasta, this one pot lemon spaghetti is a must-try!

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Ingredients
Instructions
Expert Tip
Substitutions
Variations
Equipment
Storage
Lemon Garlic Bucatini

Ingredients

Bucatini pasta
Salted butter
Coarse black pepper
Lemon
Fresh garlic
Parmesan cheese

A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.

Instructions

START WITH...

Collecting all your ingredients - This will make cooking so much easier. Gather all the spices you will need, and keep them nearby.

Boiling a pot of water - Have your pasta water boiling and ready to go, so everything is ready at around the same time.

Step by step instructions for preparing bucatini

Boil the pasta: In a pot of liberally salted water, boil the pasta until slightly less than al dente. The pasta should still have a bit of bite to it. Before draining, save some ¼ cup of pasta water for the sauce.
Prepare the sauce: In a skillet over medium-low heat, sauté the minced garlic in butter. Once the garlic has become fragrant, squeeze in the juice of ½ a lemon.
Finish the pasta: Add the pasta to the skillet, and top with parmesan and pasta water. Keep tossing vigorously so that the cheese, lemon juice and pasta water form a sauce. Finish with black pepper and lemon zest.

Expert Tip

Boil the pasta in shallow water! Use less water than you would traditionally boil pasta in. This allows the water to become more starchy, which is perfect for a sauce like this.

Substitutions

Bucatini - Feel free to substitute with spaghetti, spaghettini or even capellini.
Parmesan cheese - You can also use pecorino romano cheese
Black pepper - For a little more punch, add red chilli flakes to the pasta instead!

Variations

Meat - Add some pancetta to the pasta to make it more hearty
Pescatarian meal - Top with some sautéed shrimp to make this a pescatarian-friendly meal

Equipment

This is what I used to make this recipe - Please be mindful that different equipment and cooking utensils may yield varying results. Most of my favourite equipment can be found on my storefront.

Large pot
Large stainless steel skillet

Storage

This pasta is eaten best when it's fresh, because of the simple ingredients. While you can store it in the fridge for 1-2 days, the texture of the sauce will likely change and it won't be as enjoyable. Because this recipe takes such little time to make, I recommend making it fresh!

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