15 Vibrant Lemon Pasta Recipes

Lemon is an excellent pairing for seafood because it brightens its mild flavor and balances any lingering "fishy" taste. In this restaurant-quality dish, linguine is tossed in a creamy garlic-butter sauce, along with tomatoes, lemon zest, parsley, scallops, and shrimp. 

Pasta and broccoli are tossed in a simple lemon and garlic sauce to create a simple but satisfying meal. Reviewer wickchick02 describes it as, "Light and awesome for summer!"

Don't be fooled by the short ingredient list: "This is one of those 'much more than the sum of its parts' recipes," says recipe creator SABRINATEE. Spaghetti is mixed into a creamy lemon sauce, baked, and topped with gra

For a light dinner or flavorful side dish, this lemon butter pasta comes together in just 30 minutes. For even more flavor, try substituting fresh herbs for dried. 

Buttery lemon linguine is paired with grilled chicken in this hearty yet vibrant summer dinner. For an even thicker sauce, increase the amount of cornstarch. 

Fresh basil and lemon zest bring fresh, tart flavor to this spaghetti and shrimp dish: "If you try this recipe using dried basil or bottled lemon juice, then you haven't tried this recipe!" says recipe creator KerryElizabeth. 

A rich and creamy pesto-ricotta pasta sauce is complemented by the addition of fresh lemon zest. This recipe is intended to be served with orecchiette, but you can use any type of pasta that holds a lot of sauce. 

A thick, cheesy sauce makes a decadent accompaniment for shrimp, sun-dried tomatoes, and fettuccine. But looks are deceiving — this recipe only takes 35 minutes to make. 

In this favorite Italian dish, chicken is dredged in a flour and lemon pepper mixture, browned, and served over fettuccine with a buttery lemon and caper sauce. Recipe creator Kate says linguine can be used in place of fettuccine, and turkey breast tenderloins can be used in place of chicken. 

Sautéed red bell peppers add a sweetness that helps to balance the acidity of the lemon in this delicious pasta dish. "Comes together very easily and quickly for a tasty meal with lovely presentation," says Allrecipes Allstar lutzflcat. 

In this Mediterranean-inspired dish, capellini pasta, flaked tuna, and cannellini beans are tossed in a lemony-Parmesan sauce. Meanwhile, crushed red pepper adds an unexpected kick. 

You'll want to add this one-pot lemon chicken pasta to your weeknight dinner rotation ASAP. "I just added a little extra lemon juice and lemon zest as there's no point in wasting the zest when you're already using fresh lemons," suggests reviewer dianajanssen. 

Thinly sliced chicken breasts are lightly seasoned with lemon-pepper, lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, and tossed with bow-tie pasta and green onions. "Must love lemon!" cautions recipe creator Valerie Sword. 

"Shrimp in linguini pasta with a yummy white cream sauce that has a wonderfully perfect hint of lemon. It adds just the perfect dimension to the flavors of the dish!" says recipe creator Nina. "Serves our family of 5 and has lots of leftovers."

Put fresh summer veggies on display in this gnocchi tossed in lemon cream sauce. The fact that it all comes together in one skillet is just a bonus.