This one pot tiktok lemon pasta recipe was originally created by MamaCulinaria. Although there’s no cream in it, this creamy pasta is simply made with angel hair pasta, olive oil, butter, lemon juice and zest, salted water and red pepper flakes.
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What is Viral TikTok One Pot Lemon Pasta
The Viral TikTok One Pot Lemon Pasta is a simple yet flavorful pasta dish that gained immense popularity on the social media platform TikTok.
Mama Culinaria is the original creator who shared this dish after seeing Emily Mariko lemon pasta recipe.
This recipe involves cooking pasta, lemon juice, garlic, butter, red pepper flake all in one pot, resulting in a creamy and tangy sauce that perfectly coats the noodles.
The dish has a refreshing and zesty flavor profile, thanks to the abundant use of lemon juice and zest.
It requires minimal ingredients and can be prepared in a short amount of time, making it a favorite among busy individuals or those looking for a quick and delicious meal.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Olive Oil - You could use another oil but olive oil is best
- Salted Butter - Regular butter will also work - just add a pinch of salt.
- Garlic Cloves - Fresh is best but the jarred variety or garlic powder will work if it absolutely has to.
- Red Pepper Flakes - I always use Flat Iron Pepper Co. Red Pepper flakes because they are the absolute best but they're also super spicy compared to most red pepper flakes. Use as much or as little as you'd like!
- Angel Hair Pasta - The only pasta that works for this dish is angel hair or capellini pasta.
- Lemon - Fresh lemon is required because you need the zest AND the juice!
- Fresh Basil - Fresh basil is key to making this dish. If you dont have any or don't like it, simply leave it off.
How to make it
Making this viral one pot lemon pasta is super easy.
To start, you're just going to get a small pot of salted water boiling. You don't want it too salty so I recommend more of a lightly salted taste than a "taste like the ocean" amount of salt.
While the water is heating up, add olive oil to a large pan (I’m using the King Sear by Great Jones) over medium heat. Then add butter, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
Mix it up and cook for 3 minutes or so or until the garlic is starting to turn golden.
Now add the uncooked angel hair pasta to the garlic oil pan and add two ladles of boiling salted water.
Gently shake the pan so the water can absorb into the noodles.
As it dries out, add another 2 ladles of the boiling salted water (or about 1 cup of water) at a time.
Just make sure to move the pasta continuously until the pasta is al dente.
Once it’s al dente, turn the heat off and add the lemon zest, the lemon juice and the fresh basil.
Toss everything together and season with salt and pepper if needed.
Serve immediately.
What goes with Viral TikTok One Pot Lemon Pasta
For an appetizer, I suggest making my Poolside Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad, this Easy Grinder Salad Recipe, a burrata caprese salad, or even these little ciabatta caprese sandwiches.
And if you'd like more tasty pasta recipes, try this Trader Joes Sweet Corn Ravioli with Lemon Basil Cream sauce or this Spicy Vodka Pasta.
I also recommend my Garlic confit baked feta pasta, Creamy Pesto Pasta or One Pot Cheesy Orzo with Broccoli.
For dessert, I suggest my easy 4 ingredient nutella fudge.
Frequently asked questions
Can I customize the Viral TikTok One Pot Lemon Pasta?
My answer to this question is ALWAYS yes! You can customize the Viral TikTok One Pot Lemon Pasta according to your preferences. You can add additional ingredients such as vegetables, protein (like chicken or shrimp), or herbs to add flavor and make it more filling.
Why did the Viral TikTok One Pot Lemon Pasta gain popularity?
The Viral TikTok One Pot Lemon Pasta gained popularity due to its simplicity, delicious taste, and the fact that it requires only one pot for cooking, minimizing cleanup. It was also a kind of clap back directed to Emily Mariko after Italian creator MamaCulinaria saw her lemon pasta video.
Can I make the Viral TikTok One Pot Lemon Pasta ahead of time?
Not really... While it's best to enjoy the Viral TikTok One Pot Lemon Pasta immediately after cooking, you can prepare some of the ingredients in advance to save time. You can pre-measure the pasta, mince the garlic, and squeeze the lemon juice ahead of time, but it's recommended to cook the pasta just before serving for optimal texture.
Recipe
Viral Tiktok One Pot Lemon Pasta
Ingredients
- Salted boiling water
- ¼ cup Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoon Salted Butter
- 5 cloves Garlic roughly chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 lb Angel Hair Pasta uncooked
- 3 Lemons zested
- ⅓ cup Lemon Juice
- ½ cup Fresh Basil
Instructions
- Get a small pot of salted water boiling.
- Meanwhile, add olive oil to a large pan (I’m using the King Sear by Great Jones) over medium heat. Then add butter, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
- Cook for 3 minutes or so or until the garlic is starting to turn golden.
- Add the uncooked angel hair pasta to the garlic oil pan and add two ladles of boiling salted water.
- Gently shake the pan so the water can absorb into the noodles. As it dries out, add another 2 ladles of the boiling salted water (or about 1 cup of water) at a time, moving the pasta continuously until the pasta is al dente.
- Once it’s al dente, turn the heat off and add the lemon zest, the lemon juice and the fresh basil. Toss everything together and season with salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve immediately.
