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a plate of penne pasta with spinach and a slice of lemon on a white table with a bowl of parmesan cheese

Spicy Lemon Arugula Penne

Kristina Todini, RDN
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!
4.83 stars (35 ratings)
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Main Dishes
Cuisine Italian-Inspired
Servings 2 servings
Calories 499 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup penne pasta
  • 1 teaspoon salt for pasta water
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 whole garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
  • 1 cup arugula
  • ½ cup parmesan or nutritional yeast if vegan
  • 1 Pinch of sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice juice from about 1 lemon

Instructions
 

  • 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 499kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 17gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 1593mgPotassium: 202mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 507IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 328mgIron: 1mg
Keyword arugula pasta, lemon arugula pasta, vegan pasta
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