Lemon Parmesan Pasta

This creamy Lemon Parmesan Pasta recipe is a quick and simple pasta dish! Tender cooked pasta tossed in a slightly spicy, lemon, garlic and parmesan cream sauce. Serves 2 main dishes or as 4 sides.

Course Mains & Entrees

Cuisine Italian

Keyword easy recipe, lemon, pasta, quick dinner

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 837

Author Laurie McNamara

Ingredients

8 ounces gemelli pasta plus palmful of sea salt for water
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup yellow onion finely diced
3 cloves garlic (large) minced
1 pinch kosher salt plus more to taste
2 teaspoons lemon zest about 1 good size lemon
3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed (about 1 lemon)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon fresh parsley minced

Instructions

Bring a pot of salted water to boil. I do about a palmful of fine sea salt. Once boiling, add in pasta and cook following the package directions.
Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining the cooked pasta.
Meanwhile, in a 10-inch skillet, add olive oil with unsalted butter and heat over medium-low.
Once melted, add the onion, garlic and a pinch of kosher salt. Stir and sauté until soft and translucent.
when the onions are soft, add in red pepper flakes and lemon zest.
Next pour in the lemon juice and stir while pouring in the heavy cream. Simmer over medium-low to low heat while waiting on the pasta to finish cooking.
Add the cooked pasta and grate in the parmesan cheese. Toss to combine. Taste and season with more salt if desired.
Add a few splashes of pasta water to thin or loosen up the sauce as needed. Serve immediately.
Serve in shallow bowls topped with more parmesan cheese and minced parsley.

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