Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta – Quick Recipe
Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta is a delicious and simple dish made with bright and tangy citrus flavors and savory garlic undertones. It is the perfect dish that can be made in well under 30 minutes!
Since you love pasta, be sure to check out this amazing Lobster Mac and Cheese while you’re here!
A great pasta dish is always our go-to when we are looking for a quick and easy dinner idea. Adding angel hair pasta as a side dish for shrimp, chicken, or even steak, helps round out our weeknight dinners!
Why you will love Pasta al Limone
Simple ingredients! This garlic lemon pasta dish calls for everyday ingredients that you may already have on hand.
Super quick recipe! You will have this recipe on your table in well under 30 minutes.
Very versatile! Add your favorite protein to the cooked pasta dish to make it a complete and well-balanced meal. Or you can eat pasta al limone as a delicious side dish.
Ingredients you need
For this lemon garlic pasta recipe you will need:
Pasta: Grab your favorite noodles. Fusilli pasta is what we used for this exact recipe. You can use any pasta shape you prefer though.
Lemon: You will need at least 1 lemon for the lemon pasta. You can definitely add more fresh lemon juice and lemon zest if you’d like it more tangy.
Garlic: A hefty amount of fresh garlic is used in this pasta dish. You can also use roasted garlic instead of minced garlic.
Butter: Grab about half a stick of unsalted butter to help round out the lemon garlic sauce.
Olive oil: A good cold pressed extra virgin olive oil makes kicks this pasta dish up a few notches.
Heavy cream: If you want your sauce to be creamy, you will add the heavy cream. It can definitely be omitted and still yield a delicious dish.
Parmesan cheese: Parmesan cheese is optional, but the grated parmesan cheese definitely adds a delicious richness to the recipe.
Seasonings: Black pepper, garlic powder, and salt are the main seasonings you will need. Add some red pepper flakes for a little kick!
How to make lemon garlic pasta
Cooked pasta
You want to cook your pasta just until it is al dente. Follow the package directions for the most part.
Start by bringing a large pot of water to a rapid boil. It is best to add salt to your water because the salted water helps add another layer of flavor to this pasta dish.
Once the large pot of water is boiling, gently add in your noodles. Boil the pasta for about 15 minutes to 20 minutes, or just until it is al dente.
Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water to help make the lemon garlic sauce. Drain the noodles and set them aside to make the sauce.
Lemon garlic pasta Sauce
To make this lemon garlic pasta sauce start by adding your unsalted butter and olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add in your minced garlic.
Stir the garlic around for about one minute, or until it becomes fragrant. If you are using fresh herbs like fresh parsley or fresh basil, add it in now as well.
Squeeze the fresh lemon juice into the skillet and stir this around until everything is combined. Now add in the heavy cream, and mix it well. Sprinkle in the lemon zest, black pepper, and garlic powder.
If the sauce begins to get too thick, add in the reserved pasta water. The starchy pasta water will help thin-out the creamy sauce a bit.
The best pasta to use for garlic lemon pasta
There are so many different varieties and pasta shape to choose from to make this lemon pasta recipe. Pick what you have on hand, or your favorite variety to make this recipe. Make sure you follow the package instructions for whichever pasta you use. Here are some recommendations:
- Angel hair pasta
- Fettuccine pasta
- Linguine pasta
- Fusilli pasta
- Mafaldine pasta
FAQ
What do you eat with pasta?
You can eat a delicious salad, roasted vegetables, some garlic bread, or add your favorite protein like grilled shrimp or chicken. It is also delicious on its own as a full meal!
What is lemon garlic sauce made of?
It is simply fresh lemon juice, olive oil, butter, garlic, and seasonings such as salt and red pepper flakes simmered until combined.
Why add lemon to pasta?
Lemon is a great flavor enhancer, a lot like salt. Adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice brings out a fresh tangy flavor in any dish.
Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta
Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta is a delicious and simple dish made with bright and tangy citrus flavors and savory garlic undertones. It is the perfect dish that can be made in well under 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 pack Pasta, cooked according to package instructions
- 4 tablespoons Butter, unsaltd
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 whole Lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 cup Heavy cream
- 1/4 cup Grated parmesan
- 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon Red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Boil the pasta according to package directions. Usually it will take about 15 minutes for a full pack of pasta. Just boil until it is al dente (soft with a little bite). The pasta will continue to cook when you add it to the sauce
- Once the pasta is al dente, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water to help thin out the sauce if needed. Drain the rest of the water and set the cooked pasta to the side.
Creamy Lemon Garlic Sauce
- Add the butter and olive oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter melts, add in the garlic.
- Simmer the garlic for about one minute and stir continuously so that it does not burn.
- Now zest the lemon directly into the skillet, until you have at least 1 teaspoon of lemon zest. Now add the juice of the lemon directly into the skillet and stir it to combine.
- Gently pour in the heavy cream and mix it in well. Now sprinkle in the grated parmesan, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir it to combine, and taste. Add salt to your desired taste is reached.
- If the sauce begins to get too thick, add the the reserved pasta water into the sauce (one tablespoon at a time) until it thins out a bit.
- Now use tongs to mix the pasta into the sauce. Simmer for about 1-2 minutes until everything is combined and the pasta is cooked through.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 413Total Fat 38gSaturated Fat 22gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 13gCholesterol 103mgSodium 366mgCarbohydrates 13gFiber 1gSugar 2gProtein 6g
This is a great go to recipe. So easy and so quick. We added fresh spinach for a veggie kick. Tastes fantastic. My family said it is a must do again!!!
Thank you! I’m so happy you guys enjoyed it! 🙂