Pasta al Limone - Creamy Lemon Sauce
An elegant and quick Italian recipe where cream coats spaghetti with the delicate freshness of lemon. A perfect balance of richness and lightness, ready in under 30 minutes.
🛒 Ingredients
4 servings
- 14 oz spaghetti
- 7 tbsp high-quality butter
- 3/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
- 4 fresh lemons (zested + 2/3 cup juice)
- 3.5 oz finely grated Parmesan cheese
- Fine salt and ground white pepper
- 1 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)
- Espelette pepper (optional)
Watch the original video
Watch on TikTokDirections
- 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions until al dente.
- 2
Meanwhile, zest the 4 lemons using a microplane, then juice them. Set the zest and juice aside separately.
- 3
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Pour in the lemon juice and let it reduce slightly for 2 minutes.
- 4
Pour the crème fraîche into the skillet, mix well, and let simmer for 2-3 minutes. The mixture should be smooth and velvety.
- 5
Drain the pasta, reserving 3/4 cup of the cooking water. Immediately add the spaghetti to the skillet.
- 6
Add the lemon zest and grated Parmesan. Toss vigorously over low heat for 1-2 minutes. Gradually add the reserved cooking water as needed to achieve a creamy sauce that coats the pasta.
- 7
Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Finish with fresh parsley and a pinch of Espelette pepper.
- 8
Serve immediately in warm bowls, with extra Parmesan on the side.
💡 Chef's Tip
The secret: never add all the cooking water at once—the starch in the pasta water naturally binds the sauce. Use organic or untreated lemons if possible for zesting. For a richer version, replace 3 tbsp of the cream with an egg yolk (tempered with the hot sauce).
