Pasta al Limone
Fresh lemon, butter, Parmigiano Reggiano, and pasta. Pasta al Limone is one of those recipes that proves you don't need a long list of ingredients to make something memorable. With a little attention to technique, these simple ingredients come together into a silky sauce that's bright, rich, and incredibly satisfying. This is a quick recipe for when you want something fresh and full of flavor without spending hours in the kitchen.
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Total Time
20 minutes
Servings
2
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Ingredients
- 8 oz (225 g) spaghetti
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
- ¾ cup (70 g) finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for serving
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Reserved pasta water, as needed
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add the lemon zest and a splash of pasta water.
- Add the pasta and toss, adding pasta water until the butter looks creamy.
- Remove from the heat. Add the lemon juice and Parmigiano Reggiano and toss continuously until the sauce is smooth and glossy.
- Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with more cheese.
Chef’s Notes
This is brighter and cleaner than the brown-butter sage pasta. Temperature is the whole game—if the pan is too hot when the cheese goes in, it will seize. Warm pasta water and off-heat tossing are what make a short ingredient list work.
Equipment Used
- Large pot
- Large skillet
- Microplane
- Tongs