# Creamy Lemon Pasta

A creamy and bright pasta dish featuring a zesty lemon parmesan sauce that is simple and fast to prepare.

- Servings: 4 servings
- Prep time: 5 min
- Cook time: 20 min
- Total time: 25 min
- Cuisine: Italian
- Category: Dinner
- Difficulty: easy
- Diet: vegetarian
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- 8 ounces rigatoni or penne pasta
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 tbsp flour
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup chicken broth, vegetable broth, or dry white wine
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 lemon lemon zest
- 1 cup heavy or whipping cream
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- salt (optional)
- pepper (optional)
- fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
- extra parmesan cheese (optional)

## Instructions

1. Boil a salted pot of water and cook the pasta al dente according to package directions.
2. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat, then stir in the flour to make a roux, cooking for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the minced garlic, broth (or wine), lemon juice, and lemon zest to the skillet and let it bubble for 1 minute.
4. Whisk in the heavy cream and simmer until the sauce has thickened to your liking.
5. Stir in the parmesan cheese and remove the skillet from the heat, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Drain the pasta, reserving a little pasta water if needed, and toss the pasta with the sauce in the skillet until coated.
7. Garnish with extra parmesan and chopped fresh parsley before serving.

## Equipment

- pot
- skillet
- whisk
- microplane zester or grater
- grater

## Tips

- If the sauce gets too thick, add a little bit of the pasta water to thin it out.
- Do not substitute the heavy cream with lower fat alternatives like half-and-half or milk, as the lemon will likely cause the sauce to curdle.
- You can add shrimp or cooked chicken if you want to add protein to the dish.
- If serving as a main course for very hungry people, it is recommended to double the recipe.

## Source

- Original video: https://www.saltandlavender.com/easy-creamy-lemon-pasta/
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/22f0e1fa-8dc2-4ec3-a588-a04def24014a
- Extracted: 2026-10-02

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt