Description
A bright and creamy pasta dish featuring fresh lemon juice and zest, balanced with garlic and Parmesan cheese. This quick recipe delivers a restaurant-quality meal at home.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz (340 g) dried pasta (such as spaghetti or linguine)
- 2 large lemons (zest and juice)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream or half-and-half
- 1 cup (100 g) grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, zest and juice the lemons. You need about 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour the cream into the skillet. Stir and heat through for 1-2 minutes.
- Turn the heat to low. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and grated Parmesan cheese until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat the pasta in the sauce, adding reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time if the sauce is too thick.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the chopped parsley and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor.
- Add the lemon juice off the heat or on very low heat to prevent the cream from curdling.
- Reserved pasta water is key for adjusting the sauce consistency.
- For a lighter version, substitute half the cream with more pasta water.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 380 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 68 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg