This Creamy Lemon Pasta is so delicious that you won't be able to resist having seconds. This pasta dish is perfect when you want something quick, easy, tasty, and satisfying. All you need is some pasta, a few simple ingredients, and about 20 minutes of your time.
Serve with a green salad and some crusty bread or as a side dish next to chicken, fish, pork, or steak!
Bring a large pan of water to a boil. Add the salt and cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the packet instructions.1 tablespoon salt12 oz/ 340g spaghetti
Once cooked, reserve 2 cups of the pasta cooking liquid and drain the pasta.
While the pasta is cooking.
Heat the butter in a heavy-based skillet over low heat.2 tbsp butter
Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes.4 garlic cloves
Add the cream and bring to a simmer.1.5 cup/ 360ml heavy cream
Sprinkle over the parmesan. Stir until the parmesan has melted, then let the sauce simmer for 1 ½ minutes until it thickens slightly.1 cup/ 100g grated parmesan
To finish the dish
Add the drained pasta to the sauce and a cup of the reserved cooking water.
Stir the pasta gently until it's coated in the sauce, and cook everything for 1-2 minutes, tossing gently until the pasta is cooked to your liking. Add more pasta cooking water if the sauce gets too thick.
Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and parsley. Stir to combine.1 tablespoon lemon zest1 tablespoon lemon juice1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Taste your sauce and add salt, pepper, and extra lemon juice to taste. salt and pepper to taste
Serve immediately, garnished with extra parsley and parmesan if desired.
Notes
You want to use heavy cream, thickened cream, or double cream. If you use half and half or single cream, the sauce will likely split.
The measurements in the recipe are for freshly grated parmesan, as it is best to buy a block of parmesan and grate it yourself. It will melt much more smoothly into the sauce. If you use pre-grated parmesan, you'll need to use about half the amount as it is more compacted.
Buy a whole lemon. The recipe uses zest and juice. Ensure you zest the lemon before you juice it, as it is very challenging to zest a cut lemon.