A lusciously creamy Lemon Pasta made with fresh lemons, cream, and Parmesan Cheese in less than twenty minutes. If you love the fresh taste of lemons, this is a must-try recipe.
Easy Lemon Pasta
This easy side dish is so simple that even the novice chef can master it. Your friends and family will love the elegance and deliciousness while you bask in the ease. This pasta dish is so versatile and flavorful that you can serve it with many entrees or as a vegetarian main course. I love to serve it with air fryer salmon, chicken cordon bleu, grilled pork tenderloin, and roasted chicken.
Lemon Pasta Ingredients
How to make Lemon Pasta
Start by boiling a large pot of water. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for one minute while stirring constantly. Stir in the cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Bring the cream to a low boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Now cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water and drain well. Once the cream has slightly thickened, add the cooked pasta and Parmesan cheese and toss to coat. If the pasta is too thick, add a little pasta water (1-2 tablespoons) at a time until it reaches the desired consistency. Then, season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, garnish with fresh parsley or basil and lemon slices.
Pro-Tips
- You can use many different types of pasta with this recipe, like spaghetti, fettuccine, rigatoni, penne, elbow, cellentani, campanelle, ziti, medium shells, or angel hair pasta.
- Use fresh lemon juice and zest. It does make a difference.
- Milk and half-and-half will not work for this recipe. They do not reduce and thicken the way that cream does.
- Fresh grated Parmesan Cheese is a must with this recipe. It tastes much better, has a superior texture, and melts easier than the pre-grated stuff.
- If you forget to reserve the pasta water (I have many times), you can use vegetable broth or chicken broth to loosen the sauce.
- Make a whole meal by adding roasted chicken, pan-seared scallops, or grilled shrimp.
Why Reserve Pasta Water when Making Pasta
The leftover water from cooking pasta doesn’t look like much of anything other than used water, but hold your horses. Don’t throw it down the sink yet. That salty, starchy pasta water makes an excellent thickener for sauces. Or use it to make pizza dough and bread. I love to use it as a soup base or to cook rice. Store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze it in ice cube trays for easy contributions to sauces and soups.
Storage and Reheat
As with most pasta made with cream, this is best served promptly; however, leftovers can be reheated with pretty good results on the stovetop. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing this, as pasta with cream sauces tend to separate when frozen.
More Pasta Recipes
Instant Pot Spaghetti- Italian Sausage Pasta
- Taco Pasta
- Crock Pot Lasagna
- Pasta Pomodoro
- Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Creamy Lemon Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fettuccine
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 lemons zested and juiced
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian Parsley optional
- Lemon slices optional
Instructions
- Bring a big pot of water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook for one minute while stirring constantly. Add the cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Bring the cream to a low boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions. Drain well and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
- Cook the cream until it is slightly thickened. Add the cooked pasta and Parmesan cheese, tossing to coat. If the pasta is too thick, add a little pasta water (1-2 tablespoons) at a time until desired consistency.
- If desired, garnish with fresh Italian Parsley and lemon slices.
Notes
- You can use many different types of pasta with this recipe, like spaghetti, fettuccine, rigatoni, penne, elbow, cellentani, campanelle, ziti, medium shells, or angel hair pasta.
- Use fresh lemon juice and zest. It really does make a difference.
- Milk and half & half will not work for this recipe. They do not reduce and thicken the way that cream does.
- Fresh grated Parmesan Cheese is a must with this recipe. It tastes so much better, has a superior texture, and melts easier than the pre-grated stuff.
- If you forget to reserve the pasta water (I have many times), you can use vegetable broth or chicken broth to loosen the sauce.
- Make a full meal out of it by adding roasted chicken, pan-seared scallops, or grilled shrimp.
- As with most pasta made with cream, this is best served promptly; however, leftovers can be reheated with fairly good results on the stovetop.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- I do not recommend freezing this, as pasta with cream sauces have a tendency to separate when frozen.
Nutrition
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Neely Moldovan
OH this lemon pasta is so delish! Definitely making it again.
Blair Villanueva
Oh dear, this lemon pasta was so delicious. My family really enjoyed it. Thanks for the great recipe!
April
My family will love this! Looks like I know what we’re making for dinner one night this week!
Beth Pierce
Thanks April! Enjoy!!
Antonia Okwu
Yummy!! Thank you. I made this for my family and they loved it! 🥰