Spring Pasta Limone (Printer-friendly)

Bright lemon-butter pasta with Parmesan and basil, ready in 15 minutes for easy spring dinners.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Pasta

01 - 200 g dried spaghetti or linguine

→ Sauce

02 - 40 g unsalted butter
03 - 1 large lemon (zested and juiced)
04 - 60 ml (¼ cup) pasta cooking water
05 - 60 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
06 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
07 - Salt, to taste

→ To Finish

08 - 1 small bunch fresh basil leaves, torn
09 - Extra parmesan, for serving
10 - Lemon zest, for garnish (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup (60 ml) of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the lemon zest and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the butter and toss to coat. Pour in the lemon juice and reserved pasta water.
04 - Sprinkle in the grated parmesan and black pepper. Toss vigorously over low heat until the sauce becomes creamy and clings to the pasta. Adjust seasoning with salt if needed.
05 - Remove from heat. Add the torn basil leaves and toss gently.
06 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra parmesan and lemon zest if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The way the lemon lingers in the butter sauce is a little secret that brightens every bite.
  • It’s so simple, you’ll wonder how something so fast could taste this good.
02 -
  • I once dumped in the parmesan too quickly and ended up with clumps instead of a creamy sauce—add it gradually while tossing constantly.
  • Squeezing the lemon directly over the hot pan without straining once landed me with a mouthful of seeds, so always strain the juice first.
03 -
  • Warm your serving bowls so the sauce stays creamy and doesn’t seize up.
  • For the brightest flavor, zest the lemon before cutting and juicing—it’s much easier and keeps the zest drier.
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