This lemon artichoke pasta recipe is what summer dreams are made of. An ode to artichoke season, a quick and easy meatless weeknight pasta that checks all the flavor boxes.
Chewy spaghettini noodles are coated in a rich, creamy and zesty lemon artichoke sauce. A fabulous way to make use of a can of artichoke hearts from the pantry besides just the classic spinach and artichoke dip, risotto or pizza Bianca topping.
No meat, no dairy, the dish is best finished with a good sprinkling of thinly sliced basil (chiffonade), mild onion chives, extra lemon wedges or a grating of dairy free parmesan.
I happen to be really fond of a bronze drawn durum wheat semolina spaghettini here. The rougher texture helps the sauce adhere to it perfectly and provides the ideal thickness between capellini and spaghetti. All things considered, many different pasta shapes will work here. Bronze drawn bucatini or linguine offer a toothsome bite, short shape pasta like chewy orecchiette “little ears”, conchiglie “shells”, lumache rigate “snails” can be used to turn this into a pasta salad.
Tips + FAQ
Do you have to rinse canned artichokes? – Always drain and rinse the canning liquid. It’s basically a salty acidic brine that you don’t want interfering with the flavor profile of your dish.
Are frozen artichokes better than canned? – Both will work great in this recipe. Since the frozen ones are picked at their peak and flash frozen they did not sit in a brine so they have a more pure and floral aroma, much like a freshly steamed one.
Add Ins – grilled asparagus, zucchini, green peas, sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms, caramelized leeks, toasted pine nuts, roasted broccoli, marinated roasted peppers.
This lemon artichoke pasta recipe is what summer dreams are made of. An ode to artichoke season, a quick and easy meatless weeknight pasta that checks all the flavor boxes.
Garnish: basil + onion chives(parsley or pesto drizzle)
Instructions
Artichoke Sauce
Drain and rinse the artichoke hearts. Add them to the bowl of a food processor together with the olive oil, the juice from 2 large lemons and a pinch of salt. Process until creamy to your liking.
14 oz can artichoke hearts, 2 lemons, 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, S + P to taste
Preheat a large skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Add the capers and grated garlic and cook about a minute or so until the garlic is fragrant. Take care not to burn it.
3 tsp capers (brined), 5 cloves garlic
Pour the blended artichoke sauce into the pan with the garlic and stir to combine well. Taste and season with extra salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Remove from heat.
S + P to taste
Cook the Pasta
Meanwhile bring a pot of water to a boil. Season with a large pinch of salt and add the noodles. Cook your pasta until al dente following the package directions.
8 oz spaghettini noodles
Using a pair of kitchen tongs transfer the pasta straight into the pan with the artichoke sauce. Add a little bit of the pasta cooking water to stretch out the sauce if needed. Taste as you go and adjust seasonings.
8 oz spaghettini noodles, 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
Serve promptly garnished with chopped onion chives, thinly sliced basil and extra lemon wedges.
The Pasta - I happen to be really fond of a bronze drawn durum wheat semolina spaghettini here. The rougher texture helps the sauce adhere to it perfectly and lends the ideal thickness between capellini and spaghetti. All things considered, many different pasta shapes will work here. Bronze drawn bucatini or linguine offer a toothsome bite, short shape pasta like chewy orecchiette "little ears", conchiglie "shells", lumache rigate "snails" can be used to turn this into a pasta salad.
This has become a new favorite weeknight meal for us. Something I would usually expect to try at a nice restaurant, lovely flavor hitting all the right notes, definitely a keeper and a fabulous use of artichokes. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
What a great recipe, and even better that it can be done with frozen artichokes! I usually buy them at the beginning of the month, and have the hardest time coming up with ideas on how to eat them. I can’t stand eating them alone, but I enjoy cooking them in something. Definitely going to try this!
This has become a new favorite weeknight meal for us. Something I would usually expect to try at a nice restaurant, lovely flavor hitting all the right notes, definitely a keeper and a fabulous use of artichokes. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
This pasta with artichokes is unusual and very tasty. Thanks for the recipe.
What a great recipe, and even better that it can be done with frozen artichokes! I usually buy them at the beginning of the month, and have the hardest time coming up with ideas on how to eat them. I can’t stand eating them alone, but I enjoy cooking them in something. Definitely going to try this!