Description
Bright, silky pasta tossed in a lemony Parmesan cream — quick to make and perfect for weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz dry pasta (rigatoni or penne work best)
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock (or a dry white wine)
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice + zest from 1/2 lemon
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional garnish: chopped parsley and extra Parmesan
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until just tender (al dente) according to the package. Reserve a few tablespoons of the cooking water before draining.
- About 8–10 minutes into the pasta cooking time, melt the butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour into the melted butter and stir for 1–2 minutes to form a quick roux.
- Stir the minced garlic into the roux, then pour in the broth or wine, followed by the lemon juice and lemon zest. Let the mixture simmer for about a minute so the alcohol cooks off (if using wine) and flavors meld.
- Whisk the cream into the skillet and let it simmer gently until the sauce thickens to your preferred consistency (a few minutes).
- Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the grated Parmesan until the sauce is smooth. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
- Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. If the sauce seems too thick, stir in a tablespoon or two of the reserved pasta water until it loosens to a silky finish.
- Serve hot, topped with extra Parmesan and a sprinkle of chopped parsley if you like.
Notes
Notes & Tips
- Servings: This recipe yields about 2–4 portions depending on appetite; double if feeding very hungry diners.
- Use heavy cream: Do not swap in low-fat milk or half-and-half — the acidity from the lemon can cause lower-fat dairy to curdle.
- Pasta water is magic: Always save a bit of the cooking water — it helps adjust the sauce and makes it cling to the pasta beautifully.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
Nutrition
- Calories: 508kcal
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 257mg
- Fat: 31g
- Saturated Fat: 19g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 104mg