Make this bright and tasty Weight Watchers Lemon Butter Spaghetti recipe, which is only 6 WW points per serving! This scrumptious pasta is the perfect base for lunch or dinner. Serve salmon, chicken, shrimp, or even crispy tofu on a bed of this yummy lemon butter pasta, or just enjoy it by itself if you want something extra light.

I personally love topping this lemon pasta recipe with vegetables that pair with lemon, such as artichoke, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, or zucchini. Sort of like a lemony pasta primavera. I’ve also made this as meal prep when I wanted to get ahead on lunches for the week, and I paired it with a different protein every day. It comes in handy when you want something healthy and versatile.

The fresh lemon in this dish has antioxidants, and the recipe also includes calcium, iron, fiber, and protein. We’re using whole-grain spaghetti here instead of regular pasta, as well as a light butter substitute, which has significantly fewer WW points than real butter. The cheese is also a lighter version.

The flavors in this garlic lemon pasta are too good to pass up— you have the lovely, vibrant, zesty flavor of the lemon with the creamy mozzarella cheese. The fresh basil provides a sweet balance to the citrus, and the garlic adds flavor depth. Despite it being so delicious, this is such a hassle-free recipe to make; I guarantee you’ll want to add it to your repertoire and make it again and again.

Why You Should Try This Recipe

It’s the perfect base for your favorite protein. Mix in pieces of your favorite meat or serve the protein on top of the noodles for an excellent presentation. Some proteins that pair well with lemony flavors are chicken, scallops, cod, shrimp, pork, and salmon.
It has such a bright, luxurious flavor. This isn’t a heavy pasta dish at all, but it still has a comforting essence.
Quick and easy. Who doesn’t love 30-minute dishes? You don’t need to spend your entire evening making dinner when you have this recipe.

Recipe Overview

Serving Size: 101g
Number of Servings: 4
Time to Cook: 20 minutes
WW Points Per Recipe: 6 WW points per serving, 23 for the entire recipe (Click here to view the recipe in the WW app. WW login is required)

Ingredients in Weight Watchers Lemon Butter Spaghetti

8 oz Dry Whole Grain Spaghetti, I used Barilla brand
1 Fresh lemon, zested and juiced
3 tbsp Fresh basil, chopped, plus more for garnish
2 Garlic cloves, minced
4 tbsp Light butter substitute, (I used I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, Light)
½ cup – 1 cup Reserved pasta water
½ cup Fat-free mozzarella cheese, shredded
Table salt, ¾ tsp plus more to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Optional: Red pepper flakes, to taste

Instructions for making Weight Watcher Lemon Butter Spaghetti

Cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions.
When the pasta is almost done cooking, heat the butter substitute, garlic, and lemon zest in a large, deep skillet or pan over medium heat. Meanwhile, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the rest from the pasta. Leave the pasta in the colander temporarily.

Cooking butter, zest, and garlic in a pan

3. Once the garlic and zest are fragrant, add ½ cup of pasta water and bring it to a simmer to start forming a light sauce. Add the pasta and use tongs to coat it gently. Add the lemon juice and seasonings, adjusting to taste.

4. If all of the water has soaked up and you want it saucier, you can go ahead and add more of the reserved pasta water. Lastly, turn off the heat and add the chopped basil and half of the shredded cheese.

5. Stir gently and serve immediately; disperse the rest of the cheese on top of the spaghetti when you serve it. If you prefer, garnish with additional basil and red pepper flakes.

Variations and Substitutions

Pasta Type: Although I prefer spaghetti with this dish, it works with any pasta shape. You can experiment with bowties, penne, rigatoni, and more. I suggest sticking to whole-grain pasta since it is lower in points, but you can also use other types.
Cheese Type: Other cheeses that would taste amazing in this dish include parmesan, feta, goat cheese, or Asiago.
Creamy Lemon Pasta: to make the sauce creamy, you can add some heavy cream and Greek yogurt. The cream will increase the Weight Watchers points in the recipe. When using Greek yogurt, make sure to add it last when you turn off the heat so that it doesn’t curdle.
Chicken Lemon Pasta: add boneless skinless chicken to the pasta! Cook the chicken separately and then stir it in when you add the cheese. You can either use shredded or diced chicken.
Shrimp Lemon Pasta: Use medium shrimp for an extra protein boost; cook them separately with your preferred cooking method and then toss them with the pasta at the last minute before serving. You can also cook them in the pan when you saute the garlic.

Tips and Tricks for Making the Best Lemon Butter Pasta

Start with a portion of the pasta water first. You might not exactly need an entire cup of pasta water, so it is better to start out slow and then add more if needed! It also comes down to preference and depends on whether you want the dish to be saucier or if you just want the noodles to be lightly coated.
Be careful not to over-mix the pasta after you add the cheese. Fat-free cheese can clump up if you agitate it too much. Once the noodles are off the heat and you add the cheese, just stir it quickly and then serve.
When grating the lemon zest, be careful not to go too deep into the lemon and accidentally grate the piths. The white part has a bitter flavor that will negatively affect the taste of the entire dish.

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