Easy Lemon Pasta Recipe
Easy Lemon Pasta has a creamy sauce, zesty citrus kick, and savory Parmesan finish. This simple dish is the kind of weeknight dinner that feels fancy but takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish.
Servings: 3 servings
Calories: 689kcal
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cook the Spaghetti: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add the salt.
- Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions until al dente (usually about 8-10 minutes). Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the spaghetti.
- Make the Sauce: In a medium pot over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Add the heavy cream and cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
- Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest. (To prepare the zest, use a grater to remove the yellow skin of the lemon, avoiding the bitter white pith. For juicing, cut the lemon in half and use a juicer or squeeze by hand to extract the juice.) Season with ground pepper to taste.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the drained spaghetti to the pot with the sauce. Toss to coat the pasta evenly.
- If the sauce is too thick, add the reserved pasta water a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- Add Cheese and Parsley: Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until well combined and creamy.
- Fold in the chopped parsley.
- Serve: Plate the lemon spaghetti and garnish with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
- Serve immediately, enjoying the fresh flavors!
Nutrition
Calories: 689kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 767mg | Potassium: 294mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1769IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 222mg | Iron: 1mg