Creamy Lemon Pasta
Creamy Lemon Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 shallot, finely diced (or 1/2 white onion, finely diced)
- 1 head garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon capers, to taste, optional
- few pinches red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 lemons, zest of both, juice of 1
- to your liking salt
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon caper brine, approximately
- 1 pound linguine, or pasta of choice
- a bunch pasta water, reserved from cooking pasta
Instructions
- 1
In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Aggressively salt the water.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Add 1 pound (454 g) of linguine (or your pasta of choice) to the boiling water and cook according to package directions.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
While the pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan. Add 4 tablespoons of butter and allow it to melt.
⏱️ 2 min
- 4
Add the finely diced shallot (or white onion) to the pan. Sauté until it becomes translucent and softened.
⏱️ 3 min
- 5
Add most of the minced garlic (from the entire head) to the pan, reserving a small amount for later. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of capers (optional) and a few pinches of red pepper flakes (to taste). Cook this mixture down for around 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
⏱️ 1 min
- 6
Before draining the pasta, make sure to save a good amount of the starchy pasta water.
⏱️ 1 min
- 7
To the pan with the sautéed aromatics, add 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream.
⏱️ 1 min
- 8
Add the zest of 2 lemons to the sauce. Season with salt to your liking.
⏱️ 1 min
- 9
Add 1 cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup of chopped parsley.
⏱️ 1 min
- 10
Add the previously reserved small amount of minced garlic for a stronger fresh garlic flavor. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of caper brine.
⏱️ 1 min
- 11
Stir the sauce ingredients together and allow it to thicken up slightly. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings if needed.
⏱️ 2 min
- 12
Add the cooked linguine directly into the pan with the sauce.
⏱️ 1 min
- 13
Squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon. Add some of the reserved pasta water as needed to reach your desired sauce consistency, ensuring the sauce coats the pasta well.
⏱️ 1 min
- 14
Toss everything together thoroughly until the pasta is evenly coated with the creamy lemon sauce.
⏱️ 1 min
- 15
Serve immediately and enjoy.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 shallot, finely diced (or 1/2 white onion, finely diced)
- 1 head garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon capers, to taste, optional
- few pinches red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 lemons, zest of both, juice of 1
- to your liking salt
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon caper brine, approximately
- 1 pound linguine, or pasta of choice
- a bunch pasta water, reserved from cooking pasta
Instructions
- 1
In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Aggressively salt the water.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Add 1 pound (454 g) of linguine (or your pasta of choice) to the boiling water and cook according to package directions.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
While the pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan. Add 4 tablespoons of butter and allow it to melt.
⏱️ 2 min - 4
Add the finely diced shallot (or white onion) to the pan. Sauté until it becomes translucent and softened.
⏱️ 3 min - 5
Add most of the minced garlic (from the entire head) to the pan, reserving a small amount for later. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of capers (optional) and a few pinches of red pepper flakes (to taste). Cook this mixture down for around 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
⏱️ 1 min - 6
Before draining the pasta, make sure to save a good amount of the starchy pasta water.
⏱️ 1 min - 7
To the pan with the sautéed aromatics, add 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream.
⏱️ 1 min - 8
Add the zest of 2 lemons to the sauce. Season with salt to your liking.
⏱️ 1 min - 9
Add 1 cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup of chopped parsley.
⏱️ 1 min - 10
Add the previously reserved small amount of minced garlic for a stronger fresh garlic flavor. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of caper brine.
⏱️ 1 min - 11
Stir the sauce ingredients together and allow it to thicken up slightly. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings if needed.
⏱️ 2 min - 12
Add the cooked linguine directly into the pan with the sauce.
⏱️ 1 min - 13
Squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon. Add some of the reserved pasta water as needed to reach your desired sauce consistency, ensuring the sauce coats the pasta well.
⏱️ 1 min - 14
Toss everything together thoroughly until the pasta is evenly coated with the creamy lemon sauce.
⏱️ 1 min - 15
Serve immediately and enjoy.
⏱️ 1 min