Description

This zesty lemon pasta recipe is made without cream, making it the perfect dish for spring & summer months, or when you’re craving a taste of Italy.

Ingredients

Scale

16 ounces spaghetti or fettuccine noodles

Salt

Pepper

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 shallots, chopped

4 tsp minced garlic

Zest of 2 lemons

4 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese to finish, freshly grated, plus more for topping the pasta

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Instructions

In a large stockpot, boil the water for the pasta. Salt the water well. (I typically add in a tablespoon of salt for every 4 oz of pasta I’m cooking). Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
While the water is coming to a boil, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a saute pan or a large frying pan. Finely chop the shallot and add to the pan when the olive oil is hot. Season with salt and pepper and saute the shallots for 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add in the lemon zest and lemon juice, then stir to combine.
When the pasta has finished cooking, grab a pair of tongs and begin quickly lifting out the pasta and adding it to the pan along with plenty of pasta water. The starchy pasta water adds additional flavor and volume to the sauce. A rough estimate would be 1 tbsp of pasta water for every 4 ounces of pasta you make.
Toss the pasta in the sauce over medium-high heat, then add the parmesan. Cook until the parmesan has melted and thickened the sauce.
Season to taste with additional salt and pepper and top with additional parmesan. Serve immediately.

Notes

If the sauce is too “lemony” for your taste, just cut down on the amount of lemon juice.
If you’d like a heartier meal, this sauce is also delicious with ravioli or tortellini.

Nutrition

Calories: 625