And I REALLY like not having to over think what I can eat out of doors.
Enter: Lemon Pasta Salad.
Light Lemon Pasta Salad
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
This intensely lemony pasta salad is light, bright, and fragrant, perfect for picnics or enjoying at home. The basil and pine nuts add a delightful crunch and herbaceous flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs (900 grams) corkscrew pasta or other pasta shape
- 4 tbsp (60 mL) lemon zest
- 3 cups (720 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 cups (480 mL) olive oil
- 1 large bunch basil, leaves removed from stems
- 1 cup (240 ml) pine nuts, toasted
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Boil the pasta. Remember that pasta takes awhile when it is in shapes, so let it boil until it is just barely less than al dente. That means that it should be a little chewy, not to say crunchy, because it will continue to cook after you take it off the heat. 2 lbs will probably take about 12 minutes.
- Clean and chiffonade your basil by rolling the washed leaves together into a cylindrical shape, then chopping them.
- Zest your lemons either with a zester or a microplane, and put it in a small dish.. Remember that you only want the yellow part of the skin, NOT the bitter white pith. Also, do this BEFORE you juice your lemons.
- Post zesting, juice your lemons, either with the prongs of a fork or with a juicer. Make sure no seeds get into the lemon juice bowl.
- By now the pasta should be done! Drain most of it BUT retain about 1/2 a cup of water right in the pot.
- Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil and salt into the pasta pot, and mix well.
- Transfer the pasta to a bowl and let it cool for about 45 minutes or until it is at least room temperature.
- When the pasta is cool, add the pine nuts, basil and Parmesan cheese and mix well.
Notes
- This pasta salad is best served at room temperature, making it ideal for picnics.
- You can prepare it a few hours in advance and let it sit to enhance the flavors.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Feel free to add grilled chicken or shrimp for extra protein.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 2 grams
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 40 grams
- Carbohydrates: 70 grams
- Fiber: 4 grams
- Protein: 12 grams
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Capri Summer Pasta Salad
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- Angel Hair Stracchino and Tomato Pasta
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this recipe call for 3 cups of lemon juice — that sounds like an enormous amount for pasta.
The recipe uses 3 cups of freshly squeezed lemon juice plus 4 tbsp of lemon zest for 2 lbs of pasta. The article describes the sauce as less of a coating and more of a light summer cardigan — it barely dresses the pasta, with the lemon acting as the primary flavor rather than a background note. The name “Intensely Lemony” signals this is intentional. 
Why cook the pasta slightly under al dente?
The instructions specify cooking until “just barely less than al dente” — a little chewy, not crunchy — because the pasta continues to cook after it comes off the heat. For 2 lbs of corkscrew pasta, that means about 12 minutes. Over-cooked pasta will become mushy in the dressing.
Why does the recipe avoid mayonnaise?
The article explicitly rules out mayonnaise, noting it spoils quickly — a critical consideration since this salad is designed to be served at room temperature for picnics or outdoor eating. The olive oil and lemon dressing is stable at room temperature.
