Description
Make this quick and bright pasta dish for a satisfying weeknight meal. The sauce is creamy, zesty, and ready in under 20 minutes using simple ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz spaghetti or linguine
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Before draining, reserve at least 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown.
- Reduce the heat to low. Pour in the heavy cream and let it warm through for about 1 minute.
- Whisk in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and black pepper.
- Add the reserved pasta water gradually, whisking constantly until the sauce begins to thicken slightly.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and stir until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet. Toss everything together until the pasta is fully coated in the sauce. Add more pasta water if the sauce seems too thick.
- Taste and add salt as needed. Serve immediately topped with extra Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- For a richer sauce, substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream, but you may need less pasta water.
- If you prefer a tangier flavor, add a small pinch of citric acid or a few drops of white wine vinegar along with the lemon juice.
- Use fresh lemon juice for the best bright flavor; bottled juice will taste dull.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 14
- Unsaturated Fat: 11
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 65
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 20
- Cholesterol: 65