Creamy Lemon Pasta (Pasta al Limone)
Pasta al limone is a classic Italian lemon pasta — wide pappardelle noodles tossed in a creamy, no-cook lemon sauce made with egg yolk, heavy cream, and plenty of Parmesan. The hot pasta does all the work, and it can be on the table in 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 1 large or extra-large egg yolk
- ½ cup (125 ml) heavy cream well shaken - see note below
- ½ cup (125 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- 1 lemon
- 8 ounces (223 g) dried pappardelle pasta or your favorite dried pasta
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) butter, cut into chunks
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Bring a large pot (5-6 quarts) of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 large or extra-large egg yolk, ½ cup heavy cream, ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheeseand ½ teaspoon salt. Grate the zest from the lemon with a rasp grater (a Microplane is my top pick) over the bowl, then slice the lemon in half and squeeze in the juice from one half. Whisk to combine.
- Cook 8 ounces dried pappardelle pasta until al dente, usually 8-10 minutes. Be sure to taste and test!
- Drain the pasta and immediately add to the bowl with the lemon cream. Top with 2 tablespoons butter, cut into chunks, then use 2 forks or a pair of tongs to gently toss the pasta until it's coated with the sauce. Cover the bowl and let it sit 5 minutes to thicken.
- Serve hot, sprinkled 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, additional grated Parmesan and lemon zest.
Video
Notes
- Depending on the brand of heavy cream you have, a layer of thick cream can form a cap on top of the liquid cream. Be sure to shake the container heavy cream well to blend it before measuring it.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container 1-2 days in the refrigerator. Add a teaspoon or two of water or cream before reheating as the pasta sauce will thicken.
- You can use either fresh or dried pappardelle or fettuccine noodles or any type of dried pasta.
Nutrition
Calories: 397kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 14gFat: 18gSodium: 235mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2g
