Creamy Pasta al Limone

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My Creamy Pasta al Limone (lemon pasta) is a comforting and yet fresh spin on the classic recipe. Linguine is tossed in a silky lemon cream sauce with butter, Parmesan, garlic and plenty of fresh lemon zest. It’s rich without feeling overly heavy. And the best part is that it comes together in 30 minutes and with some of the most basic ingredients out there.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean, Seasonal

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: Servings

Author: Luay Ghafari

Cost: $10

Ingredients

12 oz Linguine - Or other long pasta
5 tbsp Unsalted butter
2-3 Garlic cloves (minced)
1 cup Heavy cream
1½ cups Parmesan (freshly grated)
2 tbsp Lemon zest - From 2 lemons
2 tbsp Lemon juice - From 1 lemon, use more or less to taste
½ tsp Black pepper
¼-½ tsp Salt - Add salt to taste
½-1 cup Reserved pasta water
¼ cup Fresh parsley (chopped)
Extra Parmesan, lemon zest, black pepper and torn basil for serving

Instructions

Cook and Drain Pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente according to the package directions. Drain the pasta, but make sure to reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.
Build the Sauce. While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet or large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the grated garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Don't let the garlic brown. Pour in the heavy cream and bring it to a gentle simmer.
Add the Parmesan. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and add the freshly grated Parmesan a handful at a time, whisking well between additions until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth.
Add the Lemon. Stir in the fresh lemon zest and fresh lemon juice. Season with freshly cracked black pepper. Taste and add a little more lemon juice if you prefer a brighter, tangier sauce. At this point, also adjust the salt level to your preference.
Toss. Add the drained linguine to the creamy lemon sauce along with about ½ cup of reserved hot pasta water and the chopped parsley. Toss continuously with a pair of tongs until the pasta is coated in a silky, glossy sauce. If the sauce looks too thick, add more pasta water a splash at a time. Creamy pasta sauces tighten as they cool, so it's better for the sauce to look slightly loose in the pan.
Serve. Divide the creamy Pasta al Limone between bowls and finish with torn basil, extra Parmesan, fresh lemon zest and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper. Serve right away.

Notes

Key Ingredient Notes:

Pasta: My preference is to use a long dry pasta, like Linguine. Spaghetti, fettuccine or bucatini can all be substituted.
Butter: Forms the rich base of the sauce. I do recommend using unsalted butter since you’ll be adding quite a bit of Parmesan to the sauce, which will season it. But if you only have salted, you can use it, you’ll just have to watch out and not add any extra salt without tasting the sauce and adjusting carefully.
Heavy Cream: Cream is not really traditional in a pasta al Limone. However, this recipe deviates slightly from tradition. The cream gives my version of Pasta al Limone its luxurious, creamy texture. Don’t use milk or half-and-half as they may split when you add the lemon. I tested this recipe with half-and-half to see if a lower-fat dairy option would work, and the sauce split.
Parmesan Cheese: Use the real stuff only. Make sure you grate Parmigiano-Reggiano yourself; it’s much nicer and will meld into the sauce better this way. Don’t use the shelf-stable fake Parmesan. Pecorino Romano can work as a sharper substitute.
Lemons: Both fresh lemon zest and lemon juice are essential here for that fresh lemon flavor.

Tips For Success:

Use freshly grated Parmesan. Freshly grated Parmesan melts much more easily and helps give you that silky sauce. Adding it gradually rather than dumping it in all at once also helps it incorporate smoothly.
Don't forget the pasta water. Before draining the linguine, scoop out more pasta water than you think you'll need. That starchy water is one of the keys to turning the butter, cream and Parmesan into a glossy sauce that actually clings to the noodles.
Keep the heat gentle. High heat isn't your friend once the Parmesan goes into the sauce. Keep the skillet over low or medium-low heat and add the cheese gradually. This helps prevent the sauce from becoming grainy or separating.
Add the lemon juice carefully. Lemon zest provides loads of citrus aroma without additional acidity, so use it generously. Add the juice to taste.

Storage Information: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The sauce will thicken considerably once chilled. Reheat it gently over low heat with a splash of milk, cream or water to loosen the sauce. Avoid overheating it, which can cause the creamy Parmesan sauce to separate.

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