Parmesan Lemon Pasta (Printable version)

Zesty lemon and rich Parmesan create a creamy sauce coating perfectly cooked pasta in this quick Italian-style dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz spaghetti or linguine

→ Sauce

02 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
03 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
05 - Zest of 1 large lemon
06 - Juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 tbsp)
07 - 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
08 - ¼ cup pasta cooking water (reserved)

→ Garnishes

09 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
10 - Sea salt, to taste
11 - Extra Parmesan cheese, for serving
12 - Chopped fresh parsley or basil (optional)

# How to Prepare:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water before draining.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
03 - Stir in the lemon zest and juice, allowing the mixture to warm through for about 30 seconds.
04 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat. Gradually add the grated Parmesan, stirring constantly. Pour in the reserved pasta water little by little, mixing until the sauce becomes creamy and clings to the pasta.
05 - Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
06 - Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan and fresh herbs if desired.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • Its ready in 25 minutes but tastes like it came from a neighborhood Italian spot
  • The combination of bright lemon and salty Parmesan hits every craving at once
02 -
  • Dont add all the pasta water at once, start with half and see how the sauce comes together before adding more
  • The sauce will thicken quickly as it cools, so serve immediately while its glossy and coats the pasta beautifully
03 -
  • Room temperature butter melts more evenly into the sauce than cold straight from the fridge
  • If the sauce breaks, whisk in another splash of pasta water off the heat and it will come back together

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