Creamy Lemon Pasta
A silky, lemony cream sauce coats spaghetti for a bright, comforting weeknight pasta.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon salt (for pasta water)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1.5 cups heavy cream (see note 1)
- 1 cup grated Parmesan (see note 2)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (see note 3)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (see note 3)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, adding 1 tablespoon salt; cook the spaghetti 1 minute less than package instructions.
- Before draining, reserve 2 cups of the pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti in a colander.
- Heat the butter in a large skillet over low heat until melted, then add the minced garlic and cook gently for about 2 minutes without browning.
- Add the heavy cream to the skillet and bring it to a gentle simmer.
- Sprinkle in the grated Parmesan and stir until it melts and the sauce thickens slightly, simmering about 1½ minutes.
- Toss the drained spaghetti into the sauce with about 1 cup of the reserved pasta water and stir gently to coat; cook 1–2 minutes, adding more reserved water if the sauce becomes too thick.
- Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and chopped parsley; taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as desired.
- Serve immediately, optionally garnished with extra parsley and Parmesan.
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Colander
- Large Skillet
- Measuring spoons
- measuring cups
- microplane or zester
Notes
- Use heavy, thickened, or double cream to prevent the sauce from splitting.
- Freshly grate Parmesan from a block for the best melting and flavor.
- If using pre-grated Parmesan, reduce the amount because it is more compacted.
- Zest the lemon before juicing it for easiest zesting.