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5 from 12 votes

Pasta al Limone

Pasta al Limone is a simple summer pasta that’s creamy, bright and deliciously lemony. The combination of butter, lemon zest and juice, heavy cream and pasta water, gives you an intensely craveable pasta recipe.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 2
Cost: $9

Ingredients

  • Kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 garlic cloves peeled and minced
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Zest from 2 lemons
  • Juice from 2 lemons (about 1/3 cup lemon juice)
  • 16 ounces pasta of choice
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup pasta water
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan-Reggiano about 2 ounces
  • Handful of Italian parsley minced

Instructions

  • Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
  • In large skillet, set over medium heat, add the butter. When melted, add the minced garlic, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice and a few pinches of salt. Turn off the heat and turn your attention to the pasta.
  • Meanwhile, in the pot that’s boiling, add the pasta and cook it until about 1 minute under al dente. We’re going to cook it a bit longer in the pot with the sauce.
  • Remove about 1 cup of pasta water. To the sauce, add the heavy cream and 1/2 cup of pasta water. Cook it on a simmer for about 3 minutes. This will thicken the sauce. Add the pasta, along with the cheese and mix vigorously for 1 minute. This will ensure an even coating of the sauce.
  • Plate it up and top it with a sprinkling of Italian parsley or black pepper.

Notes

Tips and Tricks:
  • The biggest key to a good pasta sauce? Pasta water. It’s like the specialty ingredient that makes every sauce THAT much better. It’s glorious.
  • In this recipe, you really need the zest AND the juice. It adds such a punch of brightness to an otherwise overly fatty dish. 
Equipment: 
Le Creuset Braiser | Olive Oil Dispenser | Tongs | Colander

Nutrition

Serving: 2g | Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 32g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 29mg | Potassium: 39mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 234IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 1mg