Creamy lemon butter pasta with fresh zest, garlic, and Parmesan. A quick, vibrant vegetarian meal.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 7 oz spaghetti or linguine
02 - 1 teaspoon salt for pasta water
→ Sauce
03 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - Zest of 1 lemon
05 - Juice of 1 large lemon (approximately 3 tablespoons)
06 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
07 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 2 tablespoons reserved pasta water
09 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 - Salt to taste
→ Garnish
11 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
12 - Extra grated Parmesan, as desired
# How-To:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions until al dente. Reserve 2 tablespoons pasta water and drain the pasta.
02 - While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute, ensuring the garlic becomes fragrant but does not brown.
03 - Stir lemon zest and juice into the skillet, blending thoroughly with the butter and garlic.
04 - Add drained pasta and reserved pasta water to the skillet. Toss to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce.
05 - Sprinkle grated Parmesan and black pepper over the pasta. Toss until cheese melts and the sauce achieves a glossy finish. Adjust salt as needed.
06 - Transfer to serving plates and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and additional Parmesan if desired.
