Why we love this creamy lemon pepper pasta
We make a lot of lemon pasta around here, and this one is a favorite of ours. The sauce starts with a beautiful browned butter which adds an extra layer of nutty flavor to the dish, and it’s finished with intense, fresh lemon and black pepper flavor with a splash of cream to bring it all together.
It tastes like an indulgent dish you’d get at a restaurant, but you can make it at home in about 20 minutes from start to finish. Plus, it’s not actually that heavy, even with the creamy sauce. Serve it on it’s own for an easy weeknight dinner or pair it with your favorite protein to make it go farther. We love this with pan seared shrimp or grilled chicken breast.
– Melissa + Theresa
→ More lemon pasta recipes: buttery lemon pasta / creamy lemon chicken pasta / lemon orzo salad / lemon ricotta pasta
Ingredient notes:
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Our favorite recipe tips:
- Cook your pasta to al dente. Al dente means the pasta still has a slight bite to it — not mushy, not crunchy. Start checking a minute or two before the package says it’s done. It will continue to cook slightly after draining.
- Watch your butter. Browned butter can go from good to bad really fast, so make sure your heat isn’t too high and don’t leave your butter unattended. If your butter is browned and you aren’t ready for the next step, remove it from the heat to prevent it from burning.
- Grate your own cheese. Pre-grated pecorino and parmesan cheeses sometimes contains additives like cellulose that prevents it from melting smoothly. We recommend you grate it yourself, and take the pan of the heat before stirring it into the sauce. This will prevent clumps and keep your sauce smooth.
The Pasta Twins always say save a little pasta water before draining your pasta. It helps your sauce bind to the pasta and it can help thicken or thin the sauce to your liking – thanks to the magic starches!
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to add lemon zest?
You do no have to add the lemon zest to the recipe. If you do not have a zester, you could skip this step. This will make the lemon flavor more mild, so if you want the full lemon flavor I would add an additional tablespoon of lemon juice instead.
How can I get lemon zest if I do not have a zester?
You can carefully use a knife to “peel” some of the yellow skin of the lemon. The trick here is to only remove the yellow layer, as the white layer of the skin will add bitter flavor.
What does pasta water do to sauce?
Adding some starchy pasta water to your sauce will bind the sauce to the pasta, meaning it helps it stick to the pasta. This makes the pasta so much more flavorful, and really completes the dish!
More easy pasta recipes
Lemon Pepper Pasta
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Ingredients
- 1 pound malfadine pasta (other other thick pasta)
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 – 3 teaspoons coarse black pepper (freshly cracked)
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt (plus more for the pasta water)
- 2 tablespoons grated pecorino roman cheese
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of pasta water. Drain and set aside.
- Brown the butter. While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently to prevent burning, until it smells nutty and turns golden brown, about 5 minutes.
- Make the sauce. Add the garlic and lemon zest to the browned butter, and cook until fragrant – about 30 seconds. Then, stir in the lemon juice, black pepper and heavy cream. Whisk the sauce until smooth.Remove the pan from the heat and allow the sauce to cool for a few minutes. Then, whisk in the cheese until melted and smooth.
- Toss with sauce. Return the pasta to the pot and add the lemon pepper sauce with about a 1/4 cup of pasta water. Stir to coat. If the sauce seems thick, add more pasta water a splash at a time until it coats the pasta evenly.
- Garnish and serve. Plate the pasta and garnish with extra cheese and lemon zest (optional). Serve immediately.
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