Easy Lemon Butter Pasta (Printable Version)

Creamy lemon butter pasta delivers vibrant flavor in just 15 minutes, perfect for quick and satisfying meals.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 7 oz spaghetti or linguine
02 - 1 teaspoon salt for pasta water

→ Sauce

03 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - Zest of 1 lemon
05 - Juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
06 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
07 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 2 tablespoons reserved pasta water
09 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 - Salt to taste

→ Garnish (optional)

11 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
12 - Extra grated Parmesan

# Steps:

01 - Fill a large pot with water, add salt, and bring to a rolling boil. Add spaghetti or linguine and cook according to manufacturer's directions until al dente. Reserve 2 tablespoons pasta water, then drain.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium. Melt unsalted butter, add minced garlic, and sauté for 1 minute until aromatic.
03 - Add lemon zest and lemon juice to the skillet, stirring thoroughly.
04 - Transfer drained pasta into the skillet along with reserved pasta water. Toss gently with tongs to fully coat the pasta.
05 - Sprinkle grated Parmesan and black pepper over the pasta. Continue tossing until cheese is melted and sauce turns glossy. Adjust salt as needed.
06 - Serve immediately, garnished with chopped fresh parsley and additional Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • This pasta comes together faster than you might believe, and the sauce feels decadent with almost no effort.
  • The combination of lemon and butter tastes like a secret shortcut to gourmet—I've found myself craving it all week long.
02 -
  • If you skip reserving pasta water, the sauce won't cling—I've made that mistake more than once.
  • Fresh-squeezed lemon is so much brighter than bottled; it totally shifts the sauce from bland to delicious.
03 -
  • Always use fresh lemon and freshly grated cheese—their flavors fade fast after sitting.
  • The reserved pasta water is your magic trick for glossy, restaurant-quality sauce every time.
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