This quick and easy lemon pasta recipe made with spaghetti, fresh lemon, heavy cream, parmesan, and black pepper is bursting with flavor. You can quickly whip up the sauce while the pasta cooks, so the dish is ready in 15 minutes – for a perfect weeknight dinner.
This fresh lemon pasta, also called pasta al limone in Italy, is easy to make with just a few basic ingredients yet tastes delicious, just like at your favorite Italian restaurant.
Lemon pasta with heavy cream
Heavy cream with about 35% fat is the base for this lemon-scented, silky cream sauce. No additional butter or oil is needed. A few spoons of grated parmesan cheese add additional creaminess.
Vegan lemon pasta
I’ve also tried this recipe using non-dairy cream with success - I used a thick soy-based cooking cream. If using a substitute with a very thick and creamy consistency, you can thin the sauce with a little pasta cooking liquid. The starchy and slightly salty liquid will blend in perfectly!
If using a non-dairy cream that is quite watery, you can add 2 tablespoons of cashew butter to make up for it. Be sure to use a plant-based parmesan substitute as well to make this a vegan dish. I've included the vegan lemon pasta recipe in the notes in the recipe card below.
How to serve Lemon Pasta
My favorite way to serve lemon pasta is as a filling main dish with a leafy green side salad. The ingredients in the recipe are meant for two mains. If serving the pasta as a first course, cut all ingredient amounts in half.
Easy lemon pasta recipe
Start by cooking the spaghetti in a pot of salted water according to package instructions until al dente, about 9-10 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water before draining – you might need it to thin the sauce, particularly if using non-dairy creamers with a thick consistency.
While the pasta cooks, heat the heavy cream in a large skillet. Add the parmesan, the finely grated zest of 1 lemon, a few turns of black pepper, and salt. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, stirring often.
Taste and adjust seasoning. The sauce should be creamy and will thicken once you take it off the heat. If too thick, stir in some of the cooking pasta liquid.
Take the skillet with the sauce off the heat, and then transfer the drained spaghetti to the skillet.
Add a squeeze of lemon juice, and then toss pasta in the sauce using tongs until well coated. Let sit for ½ minute, then toss again. If it lacks zing, add another squeeze of lemon juice. Serve pasta with extra parmesan cheese, if desired.
More quick pasta recipes
Here you can find all pasta recipes.
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment or/and give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear how the recipe turns out in your kitchen.
Creamy Lemon Pasta (15 minutes)
Ingredients
- 9 oz (255 g) spaghetti
- 1 cup heavy cream (for vegan see note)
- ⅓ cup (30 g) finely grated parmesan cheese (for vegan see note)
- 1 organic lemon
- ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Cook pasta:
- Cook the spaghetti in a pot of salted water according to package instructions until al dente, about 9-10 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water before draining – you might need it to thin the sauce, particularly if using non-dairy creamers with a thick consistency.
Make the sauce:
- While the pasta cooks, heat the heavy cream in a large skillet. Add the parmesan, the finely grated zest of 1 lemon, a few turns of black pepper, and salt. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, stirring often. Taste and adjust seasoning. The sauce should be creamy and will thicken once you take it off the heat. If too thick, stir in some of the cooking pasta liquid.
Mix pasta and sauce:
- Take the skillet with the sauce off the heat, and then transfer the drained spaghetti to the skillet. Add a squeeze of lemon juice*, and then toss pasta in the sauce using tongs until well coated. Let sit for ½ minute, then toss again. If it lacks zing, add another squeeze of lemon juice. Serve pasta with extra parmesan cheese, if desired.
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