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Creamy Lemon Pasta

Creamy Lemon Pasta

A light and creamy sauce that highlights fresh lemons, this Creamy Lemon Pasta is perfect for lunch or dinner.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course dinner, lunch
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 servings
Calories 600 kcal

Equipment

  • 12 inch cast iron skillet
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • spatula set

Ingredients
  

Pasta Ingredients

  • 12 ounces Pasta of choice
  • 6 Tablespoons Butter
  • 2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
  • 1 to 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Zest Adjust to taste
  • 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
  • ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes plus more for garnish
  • Salt
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • ¾ cup Pasta Water
  • ½ cup Parmesan Cheese

Instructions
 

Cooking Instructions

  • In a large pot, heat water over high heat. Generously salt the water as this infuses flavor into the pasta as it cooks.
  • While the pasta is cooking, carefully scoop out 1 cup of pasta water and set it aside to add to the sauce later.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add butter and let it begin to melt. Add in garlic and saute for ONLY 1 minute. Add heavy cream and stir. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. I suggest using a whisk to continually stir to make it extra creamy. Cook until the sauce begins to thicken - about 5 minutes.
  • Add in parmesan cheese, only 1 Tablespoon at a time, to avoid clumping. Stir well with whisk after each addition.
  • Stir in ¾ cup of pasta water into the sauce. Let it thicken for about 3-4 minutes. Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper and lemon zest, if needed.
  • Toss the drained cooked pasta with the lemon cream sauce. Garnish with red pepper flakes, lemon zest, and grated parmesan cheese.

Notes

Pasta suggestions include spaghetti, linguine, angel hair, tortellini, farfalle, ravioli, pappardelle, etc. Make sure to salt your pasta water before adding the pasta for infused flavor. Carefully remove 1 cup of pasta water while the pasta is cooking; you'll most likely only need ¾ cup for the sauce but have a little extra on hand in case the sauce needs to be thinned out.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 600kcalCarbohydrates: 70gProtein: 15gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 600mgPotassium: 400mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 800IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 150mgIron: 1.5mg
Keyword creamy lemon pasta, lemon cream pasta, lemon linguine, Lemon Pasta, lemon spaghetti
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