Lemon Cream Spaghetti

Absolutely delicious lemon cream spaghetti aka Spaghetti al Limone – buttery, lemony, and insanely comforting to make for a quick weeknight dinner.

A twist on lemon and olive oil simple spaghetti, with a rich buttery and creamy lemon sauce you can make from scratch. If you have ever been to Italy, you know how good this pasta is!

My one tip is to use fresh lemon juice and zest for the sauce – it will make a whole different flavor with the bold and light zesty notes.

Love pasta? Make sure to try my Chicken Fettucine Alfredo, classic Carbonara, or my take on Bolognese with short ribs.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Delicious lemon pasta for a family dinner that the whole family will love!
• Busy moms life saver – this recipe takes 15 minutes from start to finish.
• Restaurant-style meal that you can make on the stove at a fraction of the cost you’d pay on a night out. It tastes like a chef-made, but it uses a few simple ingredients and barely requires any prep work.
• Simple dish that is super easy to customize. You can add more veggies, seasoning, herbs, meat – the options are endless! You’ll love that lemon flavor.
• I love this delicious pasta dish any time of year. It is great as a main or served as a side dish. Reminds me of fettuccine alfredo but with fresh lemons.

Ingredients Notes

• Spaghetti noodles to twirl this creamy goodness in. You can use other long pasta you like too.
• Unsalted butter for richness and flavor. It is ok to swap it with salted, but be careful adding more salt to not oversalt the dish.
• Lemon zest. We need fresh zest, so just buy some organic lemons (to make sure the skin is healthy and wasn’t treated with pesticides), zest them first, then juice.
• Fresh lemon juice. Squeeze lemon juice fresh before cooking.
• Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream to make the cream sauce that will smother all the pasta. As it is heavy in fats, it won’t curdle. If you use any other dairy, it will curdle with lemon.
• Coarse kosher salt and black pepper. Freshly ground pepper is always best for the ultimate flavor.
• Grated parmesan cheese to make a classic pasta, but any other hard cheese that melts well will work. Good Parmigiano-Reggiano adds a ton of flavor, you can actually taste the difference. Make sure to grate your own cheese, avoid buying pre-shredded cheese.
• Italian parsley leaves for garnish

Kitchen Equipment

• Large Pot
• Large Skillet
• Colander
• Knife
• Zester
• Tongs
• Measuring spoons and cups

How To Make Lemon Cream Spaghetti

1: Cook Pasta

1. Boil water over high heat, and cook the pasta in salted water according to package instructions to al dente – MINUS 2 minutes, as it will continue to cook when added to the sauce.
2. Keep 1/2 cup pasta water to thicken the sauce later.

2: Make Lemon Cream Sauce

1. Combine the butter, lemon zest from 1 lemon, and lemon juice in a skillet over low to medium heat. Bring to a simmer.
2. Add the heavy cream, salt, and pepper, stir occasionally, and continue to simmer for 4-6 or until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and let it melt.

3: Combine With Pasta

1. Add the drained pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat in the sauce.
2. Add 1/8 cup of pasta water at a time until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
3. Top the pasta with the remainder of the lemon zest, parmesan cheese, black pepper, and sprinkle fresh parsley leaves when serving.
4. Serve warm in a bowl or plate with a side salad or garlic bread.

Storage

Keep lemon cream spaghetti leftovers refrigerated for 2-3 days.

Reheat in a skillet on low heat.

This pasta dish isn’t good for freezing.

Substitutions & Variations

• Pasta types. You can also use penne or tortellini
• Add protein. Chicken breasts, shrimp, salmon, or white fish will be great. A simple recipe to use any leftover rotisserie chicken or cooked meat.
• Add frozen peas, capers, or baby spinach to bulk up this lemon pasta
• Adjust seasoning. Add what you like, garlic powder or freshly minced, shallots, red pepper, and more herbs. For extra flavor, roast garlic and lemon wedges.
• Garnish. Fresh basil leaves, lemon zest swirls, more freshly ground pepper.
• Try adding red pepper flakes, fresh lemon zest, fresh herbs, a couple a minced garlic cloves, a cup of heavy cream paired with a little water, use angel hair pasta, or any other type of pasta.

Popular Questions

How to Make a Lemon Cream Sauce for Pasta?

To make a lemon cream sauce for pasta, start by melting butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice, stirring them together.

Slowly pour in heavy cream, and continue to stir occasionally as the mixture simmers. Add salt and pepper for seasoning, and let the sauce thicken to your liking. Finally, stir in grated Parmesan cheese until it melts smoothly into the sauce.

How Do You Add Lemon to Cream Sauce Without Curdling?

To add lemon to cream sauce without curdling, use heavy cream and add the lemon juice gradually while stirring continuously. Keep the heat on low to medium to prevent the sauce from boiling, as high temperatures can cause curdling.

What to Serve with Creamy Lemon Pasta?

Creamy lemon pasta pairs well with a variety of side dishes. You can serve it with a fresh green salad, asparagus, broccoli, or garlic bread to complement the flavors. Grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon are also great options to add some protein to your meal.

If you love this quick dinner recipe, you’re going to love these other quick pasta recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

Pair This Pasta With These Great Sides

Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks

Chicken Caesar Salad

Homemade French Bread

Peach Caprese Salad

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