Creamy Lemon Pasta Without Cream Recipe (Pasta al Limone)

Cook the pasta in generously salted water.

Bring the water to a rolling boil and add the pasta.

Cook the pasta for about 2 minutes less than the package suggests, reserving a good amount of the cooking water.

Slice a lemon into thin slices and remove any seeds.

Peel and thinly slice a few cloves of garlic.

Grate a lot of parmigiano-reggiano cheese using a rasp-style grater.

In a cold skillet, add butter and turn the heat to medium, allowing it to melt for a minute.

Once melted, add the garlic and arrange the lemon slices in one layer.

As the butter bubbles, the lemons will brown and caramelize; flip them and remove from the pan once browned.

Ladle in some reserved pasta cooking water to build a creamy sauce.

Sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese into the butter, garlic, and pasta water mixture, stirring until fully emulsified.

Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss constantly to maintain a stable emulsion.

If necessary, add more pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce, using about 125 to 250 ml (half to one cup).

Continue tossing and cooking the pasta until al dente and cooked through.

Add the caramelized lemons back into the skillet and toss to combine.

Serve immediately, topping with more parmesan cheese if desired.

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary