Lemon Penne Pasta

Name: Lemon Penne Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 box penne pasta; 1 lemon (juice); 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil; ½ yellow onion (diced); 5 cloves garlic (minced); 4 tbsp unsalted butter; 1 large bunch swiss chard (roughly chopped); 1/4 tsp salt; 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (shredded, plus more for garnish); fresh parsley (chopped)

by Kelsey Romano on May 19, 2025

Jump to Recipe

Vibrant lemon, garlic sauce with fresh spring greens and parmesan – this lemon penne pasta is the perfect easy weeknight dinner. It is easy to make, made with only a handful of ingredients and will impress the entire family! Serve it with pan seared chicken or wild caught salmon for a perfectly balanced meal.

Why You’ll Love This Lemon Penne Pasta

This lemon penne pasta is incredibly easy to make.
Bursting with bright and vibrant spring flavors.
Made with seasonal ingredients
Perfect weeknight meal.
Family favorite recipe.
A balanced meal for the whole family.
Easily made gluten and dairy free.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Penne pasta. 1 box of penne pasta, cooked according to the package. I’ve been loving bionaturae sourdough pasta.
Lemon. You will need the juice from one lemon.
Extra virgin olive oil. 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil is used to cook the onion and for the sauce.
Yellow onion. 1/2 yellow onion, diced. You can sub a white onion.
Garlic. 5 cloves of garlic, minced.
Butter. 3 tbsp of unsalted butter.
Swiss chard. 1 bunch of swiss chard, roughly chopped.
Salt. 1/4 tsp of sea salt.
Parmesan. Fresh parmesan will be used in the pasta and as a garnish.
Herbs. Fresh parsley, for garnish.

How to Make

Step 1

Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook 10 oz penne until al dente, according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain noodles.

Step 2

Make the sauce. Heat ? cup extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 large yellow onion, diced, until very soft and golden brown on the edges, about 10 minutes. Add in 5 cloves minced garlic and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in 1 bunch chopped Swiss chard and cook until it begins to wilt, about 2 minutes.

Step 3

Combine everything. Add pasta, 1 tablespoon butter, and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss to coat noodles. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon fine sea salt and ½ cup grated Parmesan , then toss to mix. Slowly drizzle in as much of the remaining ½ cup of the reserved pasta water needed so the noodles are evenly coated with sauce.

Step 4

Serve and enjoy! Serve pasta with protein of your choice! I served mine with pan seared chicken thighs. Top with fresh parsley and more parmesan.

Expert Tips

This lemon penne pasta is best served hot with fresh parsley and more parmesan cheese.
Serve with protein of your choice for a perfectly balanced dinner! I like serving mine with pan seared chicken thighs or wild caught salmon.
For the swiss chard, cut leaves from the stalks and chop.
To make this lemon penne pasta gluten free you can use gluten free pasta noodles of your choice, making sure not to overcook them (gf noodles can quickly become mushy).
To make this dairy free, omit the parmesan cheese.
I have been loving sourdough pasta in this recipe.

What is the best way to enjoy this lemon penne pasta?

Serve hot with fresh parsley and parmesan. Add your favorite protein for a delicious, balanced meal.

Can this be made gluten free?

Yes! Swap the pasta with gluten free pasta. Make sure not to overcook the pasta though because it tends to become mushy quickly.

Can this be made dairy free?

Yes! Simply omit the parmesan cheese.