• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Inside The Rustic Kitchen
  • Recipe Index
  • FREE Italian Food Club
  • Tips & Tricks
  • About Us & Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • My Recipe Box
  • About us
  • Subscribe!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Pasta

    Pasta al Limone (Creamy Lemon Pasta)

    Published: Jun 10, 2021, Last updated: Jun 10, 2021 by Emily This post may contain affiliate links.

    558 shares
    • Facebook
    • Yummly
    • Reddit
    Recipe Print

    Pasta al Limone - a creamy, fresh and delicious pasta recipe that's perfect for summer! The creamy lemon pasta sauce is bright and zesty and super quick to make. Toss with your favourite long pasta for a delicious and quick weeknight meal!

    An overhead shot of pasta al limone in a bowl

    Pasta al limone (lemon pasta) is such an easy recipe to whip up on busy weeknights or a lazy summer's evening.

    It's creamy and comforting without being heavy and has the most delicious, fresh, bright and zesty lemon flavour.

    All you need is 6 simple ingredients, it's so quick and easy. See the full recipe below including step by step photos, tips and video tutorial, enjoy!

    Ingredients - what you need

    See the photo below that shows you all the ingredients you need (except salt and pepper) plus some helpful tips.

    An overhead shot of all the ingredients you need to make pasta al limone
    • Pasta - any long pasta shape works best, we used linguine.
    • Lemon - you'll need the zest and juice of 1 large lemon for a fresh and zingy flavour.
    • Heavy cream - make sure you use full fat cream otherwise it may curdle with the lemon juice.
    • Garlic - always use fresh garlic, don't substitute ground or powdered garlic.
    • Parmesan - use freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
    • Butter - butter is used instead of oil to fry the garlic, you don't need a lot but it really adds flavour and richness.

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente (around 7-8 minutes).

    Meanwhile, to make the sauce add the butter to a large pan. Once melted add the sliced garlic and fry for about 1 minute until fragrant (photos 1 & 2).

    Step by step photos showing how to make pasta al limone

    Add the zest and juice of one lemon and stir to combine in the garlic butter. Add the cream and parmesan and stir (photos 3 & 4).

    Simmer the creamy lemon sauce for 1-2 minutes until thickened slightly. Season the sauce with a pinch of salt and pepper then add the drained cooked pasta making sure to reserve some pasta water to emulsify the sauce (photo 5).

    Step by step photos showing how to add pasta to creamy lemon pasta sauce

    Toss the pasta in the sauce adding a splash of pasta water as needed (you might not need it all), serve (photo 6).

    Recipe tips and FAQs

    • Use a fresh lemon - don't use a lemon that feels soft it should be firm and fresh.
    • Pasta - use any long pasta shape, the sauce won't coat short pasta as well.
    • Use pasta water - pasta water helps to emulsify sauces and adds a lot of flavour it's especially helpful in creamy sauces like this which can thicken quickly.
    Do I have to use heavy cream?

    Yes, I always recommend using heavy cream (double cream) as lower-fat cream might curdle with the lemon juice.

    How long does it last?

    Leftovers don't keep well because the cream thickens as it cools. I recommend eating the pasta as soon as it's served.

    A close up of creamy lemon pasta on a fork

    More quick pasta recipes to try

    • Penne Pomodoro (Tomato Basil Pasta)
    • Penne all'Arrabbiata: Spicy Italian Tomato Pasta
    • Spaghetti Aglio e Olio: Garlic & Oil Pasta
    • Pasta alla Boscaiola (Sausage & Mushroom)

    If you’ve tried this Pasta al Limone Recipe or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW US on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST or sign up to our NEWSLETTER to see more of our delicious food

    Step By Step Photos AboveMost of our recipes come with step by step photos, helpful tips and tricks to make it perfectly first time and even video!
    Save RecipeSaved!
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    A close up of pasta al limone (lemon pasta) in a bowl
    Print Pin
    5 from 1 vote

    Pasta al Limone

    Pasta al Limone - a creamy, fresh and delicious pasta recipe that's perfect for summer! The creamy lemon pasta sauce is bright and zesty and super quick to make. Toss with your favourite long pasta for a delicious and quick weeknight meal!
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Italian
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Total Time 10 minutes
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 585kcal
    Author Emily Kemp

    Ingredients

    • 14 oz linguine or other long pasta (400g)
    • ½ cup heavy cream (120ml)
    • 1 lemon juice and zest
    • 2 cloves garlic finely sliced
    • 2 tablespoon butter (30g)
    • ½ cup grated parmesan (25g)
    • ½ cup reserved pasta water (120ml)
    • salt and pepper to season

    Instructions

    • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente (around 7-8 minutes).
    • Meanwhile, to make the sauce add the butter to a large pan. Once melted add the sliced garlic and fry for about 1 minute until fragrant.
    • Add the zest and juice of one lemon and stir to combine in the garlic butter. Add the cream and parmesan and stir.
    • Simmer the creamy lemon sauce for 1-2 minutes until thickened slightly. Season the sauce with a pinch of salt and pepper then add the drained cooked pasta making sure to reserve some pasta water to emulsify the sauce.
    • Toss the pasta in the sauce adding a splash of pasta water as needed (you might not need it all), serve.

    Notes

    • Use a fresh lemon - don't use a lemon that feels soft it should be firm and fresh.
    • Pasta - use any long pasta shape, the sauce won't coat short pasta as well.
    • Use pasta water - pasta water helps to emulsify sauces and adds a lot of flavour, it's especially helpful in creamy sauces like this which can thicken quickly
    • Serving & storage - serve immediately, I don't recommend reheating and do not freeze.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 585kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 259mg | Potassium: 304mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 726IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 190mg | Iron: 2mg
    Helpful Info for All Recipes
    • I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
    • When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
    • All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
    • All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
    • Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
    • Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
    • You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
    Did you try this recipe?Mention @insidetherustickitchen or tag #insidetherustickitchen! We'd love you see what you're getting up to in the kitchen!

    More Italian Pasta Recipes

    • An overhead shot of creamy tomato pasta with Italian sausage in a blue patterned bowl with a serving spoon at the side.
      Creamy Tomato Pasta with Italian Sausage
    • An overhead shot of butternut squash ravioli in a white bowl sitting on a wooden serving board.
      Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage and Brown Butter Sauce
    • An overhead shot of shrimp spaghetti in a rustic bowl sitting on a wooden surface with a glass of white wine at the side.
      Shrimp Spaghetti with 'Nduja and Lemon
    • Orecchiette pasta with a creamy tomato sauce in a rustic ceramic bowl topped with cheese
      Orecchiette with 'Nduja Sugo

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Eha

      February 20, 2022 at 10:22 am

      Excellent recipe the lemon flavor is delicious!5 stars

      Reply
      • Emily

        February 20, 2022 at 11:33 am

        Thanks so much Eha, so happy you enjoyed it!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Ciao, we're Emily and Nathan. Our years living in Italy taught us how to cook authentic and delicious Italian food. We're here to help you put a beautiful meal on the table with tried and tested recipes you can trust. more about us!

    As seen in

    A collage of high profile online publication logos

    Popular Recipes

    • an overhead shot of a tiramisu in a dish with a slice out
      Tiramisu - Authentic Recipe!
    • Mushroom Ravioli With Parmesan Cream Sauce
    • Eggplant Parmigiana (Parmigiana di Melanzane)
    • Close up of an Italian beef ragu in a bowl
      Italian Beef Ragu - A Classic Recipe
    • An overhead shot of lobster ravioli in a bowl
      Lobster Ravioli with Vodka Cream Sauce
    • Italian tomato sauce in a saucepan with two slices of ciabatta bread
      Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce - Quick, Easy & Delicious

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Us & Contact
    • Privacy Policy & Disclosure
    • Accessibility Statement

    My Recipe Box

    • Sign up for email updates and save all your favourite recipes!

    Recipes

    • Pasta
    • Mains
    • Desserts

    We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

    Copyright © 2022 Inside the Rustic Kitchen

    558 shares