Lemon Butter Garlic Pasta Sauce With Creamy Parmesan and Bright Lemon
By Ava Mitchell
Prep
5 min
Cook
10 min
Total
15 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
Low to medium heat allows the garlic in the butter to soften without burning․ Caramelized garlic and other seasonings serve as the base for the lemon pasta dish․ Starchy pasta water and Parmesan cheese provide a creamy texture to the lemon butter sauce․ Red pepper flakes add some heat․
Linguine or spaghetti is prepared al dente and tossed with olive oil and unsalted butter․ Minced garlic from six cloves are mixed with other seasonings‚ including crushed red pepper‚ in the butter and oil․ Lemon zest and juice and grated Parmesan cheese are added․ Pasta cooking liquid is reserved to help sauce adhere to the linguine or spaghetti․ Cream is unnecessary․
Garlic may turn green or have other colors after 1-2 minutes of cooking․ Aides to identify cooked garlic include taste and other color changes․ Low- to medium-heat cooking and moving on promptly can help prevent garlic from dominating other flavors in a sauce․ Tongs can be used to toss pasta with garlic to coat it․ Additional pasta water can be added to thin a thick sauce․
Serve the pasta hot‚ topped with more grated cheese and lemon zest‚ optional․ Other serving ideas include shrimp‚ chicken‚ or salmon‚ which pair well with the dish‚ but it can also be served on its own․ The recipe notes that it should not be reheated‚ the sauce is said to taste best when freshly prepared․
Why you'll love this recipe
- Pasta cooking water contains starch that helps melted butter and lemon juice and Parmesan cheese adhere to cooked pasta and create a creamy dish without cream․
- Low to medium heat lets the garlic flavor the butter without burning it‚ which garlic does when cooked at higher temperatures․
- Using tongs when adding cooked pasta to the pan helps it be evenly coated with lemon butter sauce instead of letting sauce pool beneath the pasta․
- Al dente linguine or spaghetti is less likely to break when tossing than other pasta․ Al dente pasta is less likely to be mushy after cooking than other pasta․
- Fresh lemon zest and juice are added after cooking the garlic to balance the butter and cheese flavors․
- The 15-minute cooking time is an advantage because the sauce begins while the pasta boils‚ making both ready to serve hot at the same time․
Ingredients
- •300 g linguine or spaghetti (10.5 oz)
- •1 tbsp olive oil
- •40 g unsalted butter (2 tbsp)
- •6 garlic cloves (finely sliced)
- •½ tsp red chilli flakes
- •1 lemon (zest and juice)
- •50 g grated Parmesan or vegetarian hard Italian cheese (1/2 cup)
- •fresh parsley (a handful, chopped)
- •salt (to taste)
- •freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- 1
Cook the pasta al dente in salted water according to the package instructions, reserving 1-2 cups of pasta water before draining.
- 2
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pan or Dutch oven and melt the butter over low-medium heat.
- 3
Stir in the garlic and red chilli flakes and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the garlic changes color, taking care not to burn it.
- 4
Transfer the cooked pasta to the pan and toss well with kitchen tongs to coat it in the butter sauce. Add a splash of pasta water if it looks too thick.
- 5
Stir in the lemon zest and juice, then add the Parmesan and toss well to combine.
- 6
Add the chopped parsley, season to taste, and serve immediately with additional grated cheese and lemon zest if desired.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
341
Protein
11g
Fat
16g
Carbs
39g
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