Lemon Caper Pasta is a classic, easy, and flavorful pasta dinner for the family. Made with just a few simple ingredients in less than 15 minutes, this healthy dinner is bright, delicious, and satisfying.
Keep it vegetarian or top it with Blackened Salmon, Blackened Shrimp, or Lemon Butter Broiled Scallops.
Lemon Caper Pasta
This Lemon Caper Pasta is so simple and delicious. The salty capers, garlic, and bright lemon pair perfectly with a simple white wine butter sauce. This might seem fancy, but it comes together quickly and easily with a handful of ingredients in less than 15 minutes.
It tastes kind of like a Lemon Butter Clam Pasta but without the fuss and cost of fresh clams. The jarred capers give the pasta an elegant feel at a budget price. It's fresh, vibrant, unique and makes a perfect weeknight dinner.
The capers in the Lemon Caper Pasta bulk up the recipe a bit, giving it more texture and interest than plain vegetarian pasta. If you like Alfredo pasta like my Cajun Shrimp Alfredo or Salmon Alfredo Pasta, but want something a bit lighter for spring and summer, this is just what you were looking for. The sauce is the perfect combination of rich and light, filled with bright lemon flavor and zesty capers.
This is the perfect start to an easy meal by itself or you can add a protein like Lemon Butter Grouper, Blackened Shrimp, or Pesto Salmon, It's also great paired with a summer salad like my Italian Chopped Salad or Strawberry Kale Salad.
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Why You'll Love this Lemon Caper Pasta recipe...
- Lemon Caper Pasta gives fancy meal vibes but on a budget.
- It's made with a few simple ingredients in just 15 minutes.
- The Lemon Butter sauce is light and is perfect for kids and adults.
- You can customize the dish and keep it as shown or add your favorite veggies or protein like fish, seafood, or chicken.
- This makes a great weeknight meal, but is equally impressive for guests.
Ingredients:
Here's an overview of what you'll need to make this Lemon Caper Pasta recipe, but keep scrolling for the full recipe amounts.
- Linguini: You will need 8 ounces of your favorite pasta. I like to use long pasta like spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine, or angel hair pasta, but you can make it with what you have.
- Butter: I don't use a lot of butter in my cooking, but this is one sauce where you need it. The entire recipe just uses 2 tablespoons, so it is spread out. You can substitute vegan or plant-based butter if desired. You could make this with extra virgin olive oil, but I really love the butter with it.
- Garlic: Fresh chopped garlic goes a long way here to give this Lemon Caper Pasta a lot of flavor.
- White Wine: White Wine pairs perfectly with the butter and garlic to make a simple sauce. The alcohol cooks off of the sauce during cooking. You can also substitute Vegetable Broth or Chicken Broth if you don't have wine or don't like cooking with it.
- Lemon: To get the full lemon flavor, I used lemon juice and lemon zest. Make sure to zest the lemon with a lemon zester before you cut and juice the lemon. You want to lightly zest off the very top of the lemon skin that is yellow, not the white part.
- Capers: Capers are a gem of an ingredient that adds such a powerful salty, briny punch. They bring so much depth to this dish and add something extra. If you haven't cooked with them yet, I highly recommend trying. They are found near the pickles in the grocery store or can be bought online here. To use them, just drain them, no need to rinse them off. I don't rinse them off because I don't want to lose that salty flavor. If you can't find capers, you can also use chopped green olives.
- Parsley: Fresh parsley adds more flavor and gives this dish some color.
- Parmesan Cheese: I love to add parmesan cheese at the end to give the dish more flavor.
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions:
This is an overview of the instructions to make this Lemon Caper Pasta recipe, but the full detailed printable recipe is below in the recipe card.
- First, you'll cook your pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add your pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Before draining your pasta, reserve about a cup of the pasta water.
- While the pasta is cooking you make the lemon butter sauce. Start by melting the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic for just 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the wine and simmer, allowing it to be reduced for a few minutes.
- Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, capers, and parsley to the pan. Add salt and pepper. Allow to simmer for 1 minute.
- Add the cooked and drained pasta and toss together.
- Add a few tablespoons or more of the reserved pasta water until you get the desired consistency with the sauce.
- Remove the pan from the heat and toss with the parmesan cheese. Check to see if you need any additional salt and pepper.
- Divide the pasta on your plates. Garnish with extra parmesan and parsley. Enjoy!
Variations
I love this Lemon Caper Pasta recipe as written, but here are some fun variations.
- Make it Vegan: To make this vegan use plant-based butter and nutritional yeast instead of parmesan cheese.
- Add Breadcrumbs: Another delicious addition is to toss the pasta with Italian Breadcrumbs.
- Make it Spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- Add Veggies: You can bulk up this pasta dish by adding veggies like peas, spinach, artichokes, cherry tomatoes, diced bell pepper, or broccoli.
- Add More Herbs: You could also add more fresh herbs like some fresh basil or my Italian Spice Mix.
- Make it Gluten Free: Use your favorite Gluten-Free Pasta.
FAQ
Storage & Leftovers
Store any leftover of the Lemon Caper Pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. The pasta is best enjoyed fresh though! Once stored the pasta will absorb the sauce. This reicpe does not freeze well because the pasta will thaw out mushy.
What is Lemon Caper Sauce made of?
Lemon Caper Sauce is made of butter, garlic, white wine, and capers. This is the perfect Lemon Caper sauce recipe.
What are capers?
Jarred capers appear frequently in Mediterranean and Italian cooking. They grow wild in the Mediterranean. They are actually the green, un-ripened flower buds of a prickly bush called a Capparis spinosa. The buds are picked, dried, and pickled in a salt brine.
Lemon Caper Pasta
The Lemon Caper Pasta is such a delightful and easy dinner to make. I love how it gives off restaurant vibes, but in a simple, made in 15 minute package. Keep this recipe in your back pocket for an easy weeknight dinner or an addition to your dinner party.
It stands alone as a great meal, but here are some other ideas to serve it with too.
Serve it With:
- Green Simple Side Salad with Zesty Italian Dressing
- Garlic Bread
- Blackened Cod
- Air Fryer Tilapia
- Blackened Salmon
- Blackened Shrimp
- Lemon Butter Broiled Scallops
- Lemon Butter Grouper
- Blackened Shrimp
- Pesto Salmon
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Strawberry Kale Salad
More Pasta Dishes to Try:
- Lemon Pesto Pasta
- Salmon Pesto Pasta
- Cajun Shrimp Alfredo
- Cottage Cheese Alfredo
- Salmon Alfredo
- Crock Pot Baked Ziti
If you make these Lemon Caper Pasta, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and a star rating ★ below. Make sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook too!
Lemon Caper Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 oz linguini
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- ¼ cup capers, drained
- ¼ cup parsley
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- garnish: parsley and parmesan
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add your pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Before draining your pasta, reserve about a cup of the pasta water.
- While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic for just 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the wine and simmer, allowing to reduce for a few minutes.
- Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, capers and parsley to the pan. Add salt and pepper. Allow to simmer for 1 minute.
- Add the cooked and drained pasta and toss together.
- Add a few tablespoons or more of the pasta water until you get a desired consistency with the sauce.
- Remove the pan from the heat and toss with the parmesan cheese. Check to see if you need any additional salt and pepper.
- Divide the pasta on your plates. Garnish with extra parmesan and parley. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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