Linguine With Lemon Sauce Recipe (2024)

By Pierre Franey

Linguine With Lemon Sauce Recipe (1)

Total Time
About 20 minutes
Rating
5(4,173)
Notes
Read community notes

The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity. All you need is pasta, a lemon, a knob of butter, a generous pour of heavy cream and a hunk of the best Parmesan you can get your hands on.

Featured in: 60-MINUTE GOURMET

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have

    10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers.

    Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Print Options

    Include recipe photo

Advertisem*nt

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 2tablespoons butter
  • 1tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest, plus more for serving
  • ½pound fresh or dried linguine
  • 4tablespoons heavy cream
  • 2tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra cheese to serve on the side

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

333 calories; 13 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 44 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 10 grams protein; 63 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Linguine With Lemon Sauce Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Bring a pot of salted water to boil.

  2. Step

    2

    Heat the butter in a skillet and add the lemon zest.

  3. Step

    3

    Drop the linguine into the boiling water. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

  4. Step

    4

    Add the cream to the butter and lemon zest mixture. Add the pasta and lemon juice and stir until just heated through. Add the Parmesan and toss. Serve with additional Parmesan and lemon zest on the side.

Tip

  • If fresh linguine is purchased in 9-ounce weight, use this in lieu of the half pound.

Ratings

5

out of 5

4,173

user ratings

Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.

Cooking Notes

Heather

THANK YOU!

I may have seen one too many recipe adjustments to make things "healthy" recently, but the spate of "can we make this without the cream and butter?" questions made me roll my eyes like a teenager.

Eat cream and butter and cheese, people. These are real food. Entire countries eat these foods daily, in reasonable amounts, and are far healthier than we are.

DJ

It is only 4 Tbsp of heavy cream people. And calories per Tbsp of cream versus oil? There are 51 calories per Tbsp of heavy cream, versus 119 calories per Tbsp for olive oil. The dish is wonderful using that small amount of heavy cream, using an oil changes it, and is also more caloric.

FRD

This was delicious!! A perfect spring recipe I'll pass to everyone I know that cooks.lol
Increased sauce by about 50%. (3 T butter/ 6T cream etc.).Added 1/2 lb shrimp and roasted asparagus. Not a drop left in anyones bowls.

Karyl Severson

I have to admit that I get a little irritated by people freaking out about butter and cream. French and Italian cooks use both, and those countries do not have the obesity problem that we have in the US. If you read the latest research about fats you will see that much of what was forced on us for decades is outdated.

kathyinct

Make it with Skim milk or hot water. Save a few calories, feel trendy and virtuous and it will taste awful.

Stan Lewiecki

Please dear friends. Make it as recited. It is a perfect recipe: simple, foolproof, and delicious. I regret to say this, perhaps but not really, as it is likely unpopular: if you are confronted with good recipes that feature things you don’t eat or of which you are afraid, move on. There are cookbooks of every stripe these days. You can find a good recipe that fits with your regimen.

Q.

I had buttermilk in the refrigerator, not cream, so I made it with that. I loved it! The buttermilk and lemon each amped the other up, at least to my taste buds.

Paula

I agree! I'm definitely down with the small amount of cream and butter in this recipe. This is a wonderful and simple recipe and shows perfectly how just a bit of cream, butter and good cheese can make a dish. This is like indulging...without really going totus porcus. People! Enjoy!

Pamela LaMay

Superb recipe, why are ppl so concerned with "real" butter and "heavy cream". Unless you don't know when to push the plate away you shouldn't even want to think of swapping out these ingredients.
Enjoy life GEEZ....

Natalie

Try using pasta water in the sauce. It really helps the dish come together nicely. My boyfriend does this all the time

Phydo76

Stick to the rx measures for proper balance of flavors. If you don't have fresh lemon or Reggiano Parmigiano don't make it. Flavors are very transparent, so it needs the pungency of fresh lemon and nutty bite of RP cheese. Very satisfying on its own, with a grating of fresh black pepper, but it begs creativity. Try a handful of peas, crisp sautéed leeks, mb fresh thyme/chix or sauteed shrimp/garlic. Recipe reports 4 servings, but it will yield only 2 main servings.

MM

I'm in chemo treatment and it's hard to find tummy satisfying meals. Pasta has been a mainstay for me, maybe it's comfort food and starchy so it rests well in the digestion. This recipe was perfect for me. Yes it was calorie dense but so tasty. I read the comments and doubled the recipe and glad I did so I can have left-overs. I just didn't have the energy to adapt for calories or tweaking but I'm ok with that. Thanks Pierre!

Babu Mandel

this recipe is flawless.. and if you had a few hazelnuts,
i won't tell a soul..

Sean

Followed the recipe as written except that I added finely chopped roasted hazelnuts to the butter (thanks to whoever suggested that below) and added a bit of reserved cooking water before the parmesan. My GF said it was the best meal I've ever made her (a pretty low bar, but still!).

Keith

There was another lemon pasta recipe posted in this column fairly recently which didn't have the parmesan but did call for lots of black pepper. When I tried that one I added the cheese anyway and it tasted great. To me the cheese and the lemon flavors don't compete and I think its a better lemon pasta as a result. Without a doubt add black pepper to this one. The only other variation is I used tagliatelli instead of linguini.

Tesabeth

my cream had gone bad. made with half and half. still really good.

Susan

Topped this delicious and easy to make pasta with seared sea scallops. AMAZING!

leslie

Tried this tonight but added in Italian sausage and roasted broccoli. It was excellent. The crunch from the broccoli with the lemon was really perfect.

Roni Jordan

So disappointing and boring. Tried a half recipe for my quick dinner last night. Not creamy. Won’t repeat.

mert

I make this with oat milk since that’s what I have. I don’t like wasting a whole container of heavy cream. I make it with chickpea spaghetti & add chili flakes on top too. It’s the easiest satisfying pasta dish!

Ashley J

Added more cheese than the recipe called for and this was a winner!

Bret

Surely simple and quick. I added sliced mushrooms that I'd cooked in a dry pan.

SEA

This is a superb recipe that comes together quickly and easily. Be sure to save some of the pasta water. I needed about a half a cup in the final step. Cracked pepper on top finishes it off, and we had it with halved cherry tomatoes and arugula tossed with olive oil and vinegar on the side. Leftovers were not as good as the day it was made, so next time I will adjust the recipe.

Laura

Add chicken to cream sauce along with Kalamata olives &/or capers plus cherry tomatoes, basil and parsley. Yum!!

Rebecca R.S.

Great with some leftover roasted salmon.

Bonnie

Delicious! And try it as a side to Chicken-Zucchini Meatballs with Feta, also a New York Times recipe. Wow! A fantastic, lemony, yummy meal.

Jim G.

Thank S. Sifton for reminding us about this recipe.

Sharri

Delicious recipe. But add black pepper.

Jan

Delicious! Made this with whole grain pasta and the lemon still came thru loud & clear. Sautéed shrimp, mushrooms, green onion, added a splash of white wine, used a tad more lemon juice than called for. Oooohhh baby! We loved it!

Gilda

This was a full proof recipe. Finally got strong lemon flavor without the sourness. Added grilled shrimp and it was a crowd pleaser. Will make this regularly.

Private notes are only visible to you.

Linguine With Lemon Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is linguine sauce made of? ›

Cook linguine until al dente and drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Place linguine back into hot pot and stir in butter, cream, garlic, salt, pepper and cheese until butter and cheese start to melt and create a sauce. Pour in some pasta water to get the sauce to the consistency you want.

Does lemon juice thicken sauces? ›

Step 4: Mix the Sauce

It was time for the secret weapon: lemon juice. Turns out, the acidity of the juice acts as a thickening agent, which reacts with the proteins in the dairy to increase the viscosity. It's a similar concept to adding vinegar to milk to make buttermilk, said Clark.

How do you reduce lemon taste in pasta? ›

One of the easiest ways to cut the lemon taste is to balance it with sweetness. Adding a touch of sugar or sweetener can help neutralize the acidity and bring out the natural flavors of lemon. You can try adding a teaspoon of honey, agave syrup, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar to your lemon-infused dishes or drinks.

How to make pasta extra tasty? ›

Tips
  1. 🧀 Add some Parmesan cheese for an extra burst of flavor!
  2. 🍗 Try adding chicken or shrimp to make it a complete meal!
  3. 🌿 Add some spinach, broccoli, or tomatoes to amp up the veggie goodness!
  4. 🌶️ If you find it too spicy, reduce the amount of chili flakes!
  5. 🛢️ If it's too oily, use less oil for a lighter result!
May 14, 2023

How do you make linguine sauce thicker? ›

First, you're going to want to melt some butter in a saucepan over medium heat, and add equal parts flour to the pan once melted. For example, if you're trying to thicken two cups of sauce, use two tablespoons of butter and add in two tablespoons of flour.

Can you cook linguine in sauce? ›

Cooking pasta in the sauce instead of in boiling water will increase the amount of time it takes to cook through. It's a good technique to use if you want to delay serving your pasta for a few minutes. Make sure to keep the sauce thinned out with pasta water as the pasta finishes cooking if you use this method.

What does lemon juice do to pasta sauce? ›

A shot of red wine vinegar might do the trick here, but that adds its own flavor; a small splash of humble lemon can brighten the sauce exponentially without stealing the spotlight. That's what a hit of acidity does—it sharpens the flavors, sometimes imperceptibly.

What does lemon juice do to a sauce? ›

Flavor! The acids present in tart lemon juice make a nice sour contrast to the rich, fatty, thick, emulsified sauce. Many basic dip/dressing recipes call for acids such as vinegar to be added for some zest in what would otherwise be a very bland dressing.

Why add lemon to a sauce? ›

Adding an acidic component (foods we'd consider to be sour) almost always enhances the flavors of a dish. A splash of vinegar or squeeze of lemon adds a brightness to foods that often doesn't occur on its own.

What to do if you add too much lemon? ›

Dilution: The simplest way to reduce the lemon flavor is to dilute it. If you're making a liquid-based recipe (like a sauce or beverage), you can add more of the other ingredients to balance out the flavor. Balance with Sweetness: Lemon extract can be quite tart, so adding sweetness can help balance it.

What flavor enhances lemon? ›

There are a lot of flavors that go beautifully with lemons like lavender, strawberry, coconut, blueberry, and raspberry. It also goes perfectly with fresh herbs like basil! What cheese goes best with lemon? The delicious citrus flavor of the lemon goes perfectly with goat cheese and ricotta cheese.

How do you make lemon flavor stronger? ›

7) For concentrated lemon flavor, use lemon oil.

A little bit of lemon oil goes a long way. Recipes typically call for it in drops or up to 1/2 teaspoon because of its potent flavor.

How do you make spaghetti taste like a restaurant? ›

Directions
  1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until tender and fragrant. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and wine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  2. Reduce heat to low, stir in sausage and simmer until sausage is thoroughly cooked.

What can I add to pasta sauce to make it tastier? ›

Pungent fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, sage, tarragon, and marjoram can liven up tomato sauce with their bold, distinctive flavors. Add 1 to 2 sprigs of one or more of them to your favorite sauce, cover, and simmer at least 5 minutes to allow them to infuse in the sauce. Remove the sprigs before serving.

How is linguine different from spaghetti? ›

Although linguine and spaghetti are both long, thin pasta shapes, linguine is thicker and flatter than spaghetti. While spaghetti is round and tubular, linguine is flat and ribbonlike, though not as wide as fettuccine.

Does linguine and spaghetti taste the same? ›

While linguine is stronger and heartier, spaghetti is more delicate and best served with lighter sauces.

Does linguine taste like spaghetti? ›

Sure, but eating linguine is a different experience than eating spaghetti. The mouth feel is different, the texture is different, and the ratio of sauce to pasta is different. There's no right or wrong to this; try it and see if you like it. One can substitute linguine, vermicelli, angel hair or any other pasta.

What is considered linguine? ›

Linguine is a long cut of pasta that falls somewhere between flat fettuccine noodles and cylindrical spaghetti noodles. Upon first glance, you might not be able to tell, but they are elliptical in shape (oval) rather than completely flat or round. This is how they get their name: “l*ttle tongues,” in Italian.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Pres. Carey Rath

Last Updated:

Views: 6024

Rating: 4 / 5 (61 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Pres. Carey Rath

Birthday: 1997-03-06

Address: 14955 Ledner Trail, East Rodrickfort, NE 85127-8369

Phone: +18682428114917

Job: National Technology Representative

Hobby: Sand art, Drama, Web surfing, Cycling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Leather crafting, Creative writing

Introduction: My name is Pres. Carey Rath, I am a faithful, funny, vast, joyous, lively, brave, glamorous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.