Easy Creamy Lemon Pasta
A quick, comforting, and light creamy lemon pasta that comes together in under 25 minutes using simple ingredients like butter, lemon, and Parmesan for a tangy, rich sauce.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) Spaghetti or Linguine
- 4 tablespoons (60g) Unsalted Butter
- 3–4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 large Fresh Lemons (juice and zest)
- 1 cup (100g) Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 cup (240ml) Reserved Pasta Water
- 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
- 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
- Salt and Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente (8-10 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining.
- While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes, sautéing for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
- Add lemon zest to the pan and stir into the butter for 30 seconds to release essential oils.
- Remove the pan from the heat to prevent cheese from clumping later.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet. Pour in 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water and toss vigorously with tongs to begin emulsifying the sauce.
- Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the pasta and squeeze in fresh lemon juice. Toss until cheese melts and creates a creamy sauce. Add more pasta water splash by splash if the sauce is too thick.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with black pepper and a pinch of salt if needed. Stir in fresh chopped parsley.
- Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
Use fresh lemons as bottled juice tastes flat. Remove pan from heat before adding cheese to prevent clumping. Reserve starchy pasta water for the sauce emulsion. If using gluten-free pasta, ensure it is certified gluten-free.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 15
Keywords: lemon pasta, creamy pasta, easy dinner, weeknight meals, Italian pasta, quick recipes, gluten-free option
Find it online: https://cooltastes.com/easy-creamy-lemon-pasta-best-pairing/