Quick and Easy Pasta al Limone

This creamy lemon-filled Pasta al Limone recipe is a delicious, easy-to-make creamy pasta loaded with pecorino cheese and tossed with spaghetti. I love making this pasta recipe when I’m in a pinch.

This pasta has big bright, bold lemon flavors. If you want to tone it down, use the zest and the juice from 3 small to medium-sized lemons.

Ingredients for this recipe:

• • 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Zest of 4 lemons
• Juice of 4 lemons; this should total close to a ½ cup
• 1 cup of shredded Pecorino Romano cheese + more for garnish
• 1 pound dried spaghetti pasta
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Serves 4

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Procedures:

1. Add the oil and butter to a large saucepan and heat over low to medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Next, add in ½ of the lemon zest and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to help release some of the lemon flavor.
3. Pour in ½ of the lemon juice and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to concentrate the flavors of the lemon even more.
4. Set the pan aside.
5. Drop the dried pasta into a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 7 to 8 minutes or until al dente.
6. Next, drain the pasta and add it to the lemon butter saucepan.
7. Immediately add ½ cup of the hot pasta water along with the remaining lemon juice, lemon zest (reserve a little bit for garnish), cheese, salt, and pepper.
8. Toss the pasta repeatedly and vigorously to melt the cheese and emulsify it with hot water and pasta to make it creamy. The sauce should not break or be stringy. If you are nervous that the sauce will not come together, start by sprinkling in and tossing the pasta with half of the cheese. Once it’s mixed in, toss it with the remaining cheese.
9. Make pasta next and serve it with additional cheese and lemon zest.

Chef Notes + Tips

Make-Ahead: This is meant to be eaten as soon as it is finished being made.

How to Store: Cover the pasta and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This will not freeze well.

How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of pasta to a medium-sized saucepot and add in 2 to 3 tablespoons of water, and heat over low to medium heat while continually gently stirring with a spoon until hot. Adjust seasonings and serve.

Any pasta shape will work for this recipe.

If you are using fresh homemade pasta, note the timing of assembling this recipe, as fresh pasta will only take 1 to 2 minutes to cook.

Figure 2 tablespoons of lemon juice per person.

Al dente means to the tooth. The pasta should be firm but not hard or chalky.

Cooking time can be saved if you drop the pasta right after you saute the lemon zest in the butter and olive oil.

Add 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil or mint for a little more flavor.

[wendyvigliotti]

This was so good and very easy to make. My family loved it.

[stephaniesmith]

I cut down portions and made this tonight just for myself. It is so delicious! Thanks so much!

[debscott]

Made this last night and hubby loved it! Easy directions and good detail on how this comes together. We added gulf pink shrimps (prepped separate with garlic/butter) once pasta was complete. Just fabulous! New subscriber. Thanks!

[Omeomy]

Saturday afternoon. Finished work. Sunny day. Chose your recipe version tonight. YUM! Thank you.

[Berkana]

3:36 Chef Billy, I have an equipment recommendation for you: oval pasta pots. Bialetti makes them, but there are several brands out there. They're wide enough for you to drop in long pasta horizontally, without having to poke and prod it to get it to fit. It saves time and hassle, and ensures that the entire pasta gets the same amount of cook time, without half of it getting a minute more of exposure to boiling water like when you have to poke and prod it as it softens.

[kimberlyberlin]

Just made this tonight with angel hair pasta. It was delicious. The pecorino cheese was so nice. I thought it might be too strong but the lemon cut it nicely.

[safreeny]

Omg the recipe is grt and so is ur style of speaking and expressing the flavours.😍 LOVE FROM INDIA👍

[pismo_beach_life]

I want to thank you very much for this recipe. I just got back from Princess Discovery Cruise ship. and I ate at this restaurant called the 360. They served lemon pasta just like it. this tastes just like it. I am so happy I just made it and it was perfect thank you again

[teegreen]

I look forward to making this dish, it looks good

[valerieannrumpf]

I made that dish the other night and added cooked chicken to it. Delicious.

[kontosgiorgos]

Chef congratulations fantastic recipe. Bravo.

[WorldsFlux]

This pasta takes few more minutes than the noodles are boiling, it's perfect

[debc]

Thank❤️ you. Your recipes always work for me.

[valentinapopescu]

Thank you, Chef, for another super recipe . 🤗✋

[bOOmbOOmProd]

Yep making this! All other recipes tend to over complicate the dish. Thanks Chef!

[jmcalcote]

Chef, where can I find a pasta basket like that? I’ve search and all I can find are baskets with tall handles.

[brettlopresti]

Candied bacon pieces drizzled on top! Love the video and can’t wait to make this

[Wheels_NYC]

Nice, Chef! I've never tried this, but now I'll have to! I bet it's so refreshing this time of year!

[jimjr]

Thanks, I'll try it. I have one question though, why do you state volumes in English then weight in grams for the amount of the ingredient? The one exception was a pound or 454 grams of pasta. Weight vs weight. Most were of the 3 tablespoons or 145 grams volume vs weight? Can you explain where my knowledge is deficient? Thanks again, love the video.

[lisabolo]

Awesome, dude! I just watched Ina Garten do this, and she forgot the olive oil and cheese!! Haha!