The BEST part about this recipe? It’s good as either a warm pasta or a cold pasta! I like it in the winter as a warm pasta with Parmesan crusted chicken or in the summer as a cold pasta with some grilled chicken or shrimp. Whichever way you prepare it, the fresh, lemony flavor is light and tasty without feeling heavy.

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Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

Makes about 4 servings

• 1 lb spaghetti OR farfelle (bowtie) pasta
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 2/3 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

• Make your pasta according to the package directions for al dente. I use spaghetti in the winter and farfelle (bowtie) in the summer.
• While your pasta is cooking, mix together the lemon dressing by combining the olive oil, grated Parmesan, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper, and basil in a large bowl (big enough to hold your pasta) and whisk together until well combined.
• Once your pasta is cooked, save 1 cup of pasta water and set aside. Then add your pasta to the bowl and mix together well.
• Add 1/4 cup of pasta water to your pasta mixture and stir. Add enough pasta water until a creamy sauce forms but is not watery.
• Season with more salt, if wanted, and serve. Add some fresh basil and sprinkle of Parmesan on top for a final touch.

• If you want to elevate the flavor even more, add some lemon zest from your lemons–about 1-2 Tablespoons.
• You don’t have to change up the kind of pasta if you don’t want to. This is one of those cute things I do to signify a transition of seasons. Spaghetti feels more like winter to me, and bowtie pasta feels fun and summery to me. If you want to use Penne or Rigatoni, by all means, go for it!
• Fresh basil makes a huge difference. I have made this in a pinch with dried basil and, honestly, it’s just not the same flavor. The same goes with fresh lemon juice. Don’t use the bottle stuff, it doesn’t taste the same.
• If you are making this a cold pasta salad, rinsing the pasta with cold water and letting it cool down is sufficient. If you want, you can make it ahead of time and chill in the refrigerator, but it isn’t required. If you do chill it (or have it as leftovers) and find it isn’t as creamy, add a teaspoon or two of olive oil and mix well.

This recipe is one I stumbled on when I was looking for something else entirely, but I’m so glad I found it because it is now one of my favorites! It’s so easy to toss together and so much lighter feeling than pasta with red or white sauce, making it perfect for summer.

While I love pasta salads for summer, I do get sick of them after awhile, so I’ll throw this one into the mix for some variety. I also have basil coming out of my ears right now (my basil is almost a bush at this point) so I’m taking any recipe recommendations that have fresh basil as an ingredient.

Last, don’t be afraid to try this recipe. The hardest part about it is squeezing out the lemon juice. It sounds like a boujee recipe, but it’s so easy to make with simple ingredients, you really can’t mess it up. And it is so delicious, especially with some grilled chicken thighs.

I hope you enjoy it!

Until next time,