Spicy Lemon Arugula Penne, an easy penne pasta with fresh arugula in simple garlic and chili infused olive oil sauce with a squeeze of lemon juice. Super simple and ready in only 20 minutes!
Boil pasta: Bring 6 cups of water with one teaspoon of salt to a boil, then add penne pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. When pasta is done, reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and then drain pasta and set aside.
Make garlic chili oil: While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add sliced garlic and cook until it begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Add red chili flakes and let cook 1 minute to infuse oil, then remove pan from heat so garlic and oil do not burn.
Toss pasta in oil with arugula and lemon: When pasta is done, add penne noodles to pan with garlic and chili flakes. Top with arugula, parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast, a pinch of sea salt, and the juice and zest of 1 lemon. Stir to combine, then drizzle a small amount of reserved pasta water and heat over low heat until the ingredients are well combined.
Notes
Make it vegan: To make this recipe vegan, omit the cheese completely or substitute it with nutritional yeast or a vegan cheese alternative.
Tools needed: environmentally-friendly cookware (a large pot and pan)
Leftovers and storage: Store leftover pasta in glass storage containers in refrigerator for up to four days; reheat in pan over low heat.
Nutrition notes: This recipe uses completely plant-based ingredients, making it appropriate for vegans. Substitute gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten-free.