Easy Creamy Lemon Pasta Recipe
A quick and easy creamy lemon pasta made with garlic, cream, parmesan and fresh lemon juice. The silky, glossy sauce coats the pasta perfectly for a simple but impressive dinner.
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
- 200 grams dried pasta (or 300 grams fresh)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2-3 garlic cloves minced
- ¾ cup cream
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 50 grams parmesan finely grated
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice plus the zest for serving
- salt to taste
- Extra parmesan to serve
Instructions
- Cook your pasta in a pot of well salted water according to package instructions, but I like to undercook dried pasta by about a minute so it can finish cooking in the sauce. Reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Heat the olive oil over a medium heat in a large fry pan or skillet big enough to hold the pasta at the end.
- Add the garlic and cook gently for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Don’t let it brown.
- Turn the heat down slightly, add the cream and bring to a very gentle simmer.
- Add the parmesan in 2-3 additions, whisking in between each addition so it melts smoothly into the sauce. Keep the heat low and only at a very gentle simmer.
- Add ¼ cup of pasta water and the black pepper and mix in well. Let it thicken for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the cooked pasta straight into the sauce with the lemon juice and toss well to coat. Let it gently bubble away for 1-2 minutes. Add an extra splash of pasta water if you need to loosen. Check for seasoning.
- Serve immediately with extra grated parmesan, lemon zest and a crack of black pepper.
- Creamy sauces thicken up fast off the heat so you want it slightly saucier than you think in the pan so by the time you serve it is perfect.
Video
Notes
Cream - Heavy cream gives the most stable, silky sauce. Add a splash of pasta water to loosen if needed.
Lemon - Add the lemon juice on a low heat and mix quickly to prevent the sauce from splitting. Adding it at the end with pasta gives best result.
Parmesan - Finely grate for a smooth melt. Pre-grated cheese won’t incorporate as well.
Pasta water - Don’t skip it! The starch helps emulsify the sauce and creates a glossy finish.
Heat level - Keep the sauce at a very gentle simmer at all times, never boiling.