One of the best things about a dish like this for two is that it comes together with a certain ease, but still feels special once it hits the table. The lemon cuts through the cream in a way that keeps every bite lively, and the pasta carries that sauce beautifully.
This dish is exactly the kind of pasta that earns its place. It is cozy enough for an ordinary evening, but polished enough for a quiet date night at home. With no large pan of leftovers and no complicated steps, Pasta with Lemon Cream turns a simple dinner for two into something that feels a little finer.
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Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Pasta – in theory, any type of pasta will do, however I strongly recommend a wide flat pasta, like Pappardelle as the sauce clings to that easily and that pasta slides down, adding to the creaminess.
- Cream
- Lemon – orange is also possible, but will result in a sweeter flavor.
- Parsley
How to Make Pasta with Lemon Cream
- Step 1 – Cook the pasta according to the directions on the packaging.
- Step 2 – Grate the zest of a lemon and set zest aside.
- Step 3 – Section the lemon. For a full step-by-step explanation, check out this post. Collect the juice that drips from the fruit during the cutting and squeeze any leftover juice from lemon into a bowl.
Step 4 – Warm a skillet over medium heat and add the cream and lemon segments and bring to a summer and allow the cream to thicken, approx. 5 minutes.
Step 2 – Add lemon juice, half of lemon zest and half of chopped parsley to the cream and mix.
Step 3 – Drain pasta and add pasta to the cream sauce. Mix and allow the sauce to cling to pasta.
Transfer the pasta on a plate and sprinkle with remaining lemon zest and parsley.
Other Lemony Recipes to Try
Pasta with Lemon Cream
Pin Recipe Facebook Share by TextIngredients
- 4 ounces pappardelle pasta
- 3/4 cup cream
- 1 lemon, juice, zest and segments
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Boil a pot of water and salt.
- Grate the zest of a lemon and set zest aside.
- Peel the lemon by slicing off the 2 ends of the lemon, so you can stand the lemon on one end. Positing a paring knife or fillet knife on a top edge of the lemon, and moving the knife between the lemon flesh and the white pith. Follow the curve of the lemon until you reach the bottom. Repeat all around the lemon. Then place the lemon on the other end and remove any of the white pith you missed. Place the lemon in the palm of your hand and carefully cut the lemon segments from between the membranes. Collect the juice that drips from the fruit during the cutting and once you removed all the segments, squeeze any juice from the left-over lemon into a bowl.
- Chop the flat leaf parsley.
- Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions.
- Warm a skillet over medium heat and add the cream and lemon segments and bring to a summer and allow the cream to thicken, approx. 5 minutes. Add lemon juice, half of lemon zest and half of chopped parsley.
- Drain pasta and add pasta to the cream sauce. Mix and allow the sauce to cling to pasta.
- Transfer the pasta on a plate and sprinkle with remaining lemon zest and parsley.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.