Lemon Butter Pasta
This simple 15 minute pasta dish is a great meal starter. Lemon adds bright acidity that mellows out the gently spicy butter sauce.
Servings: 3 servings
Calories: 398kcal
Ingredients
- 8 ounces spaghetti or linguine any type of pasta works
- 3 tablespoons butter see note #1
- 3-4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest from one lemon
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice from one large lemon or two small
- Asiago or Parmesan cheese finely grated
Instructions
- Cook pasta in well salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve at least ½ cup of the cooked pasta water before draining.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter. Once melted, add the garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper, to taste. Sauté until the garlic is golden and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in the lemon zest, cooking another 30 seconds. Stir in 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water, whisking to combine.
- Add in the cooked pasta, tossing to coat. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter or a drizzle of olive oil, for a lighter option. Add the remaining ¼ cup of pasta water and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice for a saucier result, if desired.
- Remove from the heat and top with finely grated cheese, additional red pepper & black pepper. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Butter: I like to use a flavorful salted butter like Kerrygold here, but any kind works. If using unsalted butter, just adjust salt to taste.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftover lemon pasta for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
- Reheating: Reheats well in the microwave. You can also reheat the pasta in a skillet over medium low by adding a splash of water, covering it with a lid, and stirring every few minutes until warmed through.
- One large lemon typically yields 3-4 tablespoons of lemon juice and ~1 teaspoon of lemon zest.
Nutrition
Calories: 398kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 290mg | Potassium: 234mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 358IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg
