20-Minute Zesty Creamy Lemon Parmesan Pasta
Make this quick and easy creamy lemon pasta for a bright, zesty weeknight dinner. The sauce is rich and velvety, ready in under 20 minutes using simple ingredients.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 20 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz spaghetti or linguine
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 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 pasta 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 about 30 seconds until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown.
- Reduce the heat to low. Pour in the heavy cream and let it warm through for one minute.
- Add the reserved pasta water, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the skillet. Stir well to combine.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Gradually stir in the grated Parmesan cheese 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, one tablespoon at a time, if the sauce seems too thick.
- Season with salt and black pepper. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese on top.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, substitute 2 tablespoons of butter for 2 tablespoons of olive oil in step 2.
- If you want to add protein, toss in cooked shrimp or shredded cooked chicken during step 5.
- Use fresh lemon juice for the best bright flavor; bottled juice changes the taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Trans Fat: 0.5
- Carbohydrates: 70
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 20
- Cholesterol: 55