Pasta al Limone (Creamy Lemon Pasta)
Creamy Italian lemon pasta cooked risotto-style in a pan with lemon zest compound butter, herbs, and melted cheese for an emulsified sauce.
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- •Spaghetti quadrati(optional)bronze die cut pasta preferred
- •50 g Lemon zest compound butterplus additional lemon zest as needed
- •2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
- •Parsleyminced, plus more for serving
- •Thyme
- •Lemon zestfresh, added during cooking and for serving
- •2 to 3 ladles Waternear-boiling filtered water, added gradually as pasta cooks
- •Cheesegrated/shredded; Panedda (mild provolone) suggested; Provolone del Monaco optional alternative
- •Saltadded near end, to taste
- •Lemon juicefiltered; squeezed in near end
- •Black pepper(optional)freshly ground, for serving
- •Cornstarch(optional)optional, to increase creaminess if pasta releases insufficient starch
- •Rice starch(optional)optional alternative to cornstarch
- •Kuzu starch(optional)optional alternative to cornstarch
- 1
Mince parsley. Prepare thyme and fresh lemon zest for cooking; reserve extra parsley, lemon zest, and black pepper for serving.
3 min
- 2
In a pan, melt about 50 g lemon zest compound butter with a couple tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until sizzling.
2 min
- 3
Add thyme, minced parsley, and additional fresh lemon zest to the pan; let the aromatics sizzle briefly to build the flavor base (soffritto).
2 min
- 4
Add 2–3 ladles of near-boiling filtered water to the pan to deglaze and create the cooking liquid.
1 min
- 5
Add the dry pasta directly to the pan. Cook risotto-style, adding near-boiling filtered water gradually whenever needed, stirring so the pasta releases starch and forms a creamy sauce.
8 min
- 6
If the pasta is not releasing enough starch or you want a more velvety sauce, add a small amount of starch (cornstarch, rice starch, or kuzu) as needed.
1 min
- 7
Near the end of cooking, salt to taste (as with risotto) and continue cooking until the pasta is al dente and most liquid is absorbed into a creamy emulsion.
1 min
- 8
Add a squeeze of filtered lemon juice and adjust seasoning; let the pasta absorb a bit more liquid.
1 min
- 9
Turn off the heat. Add the cheese all at once and stir to melt into the sauce without becoming stringy, forming a stable emulsion with butter, water, and starch.
1 min
- 10
Plate with plenty of sauce. Finish with freshly ground black pepper, more parsley, and more lemon zest.
1 min
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