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Lemon Sauce Pasta with Rosemary Breadcrumbs


  • Author: Dianna
  • Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

Scale

For the pasta:

  • 12 oz pasta (I love using linguine or spaghetti for this dish, but any pasta will work)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (for the pasta water)
  • Salt (to taste for pasta water)

For the creamy lemon sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth for a vegetarian version)
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Juice of 1 lemon (freshly squeezed)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (freshly grated, for the best flavor!)

For the toasty rosemary breadcrumbs:

  • 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (I like to make my own using day-old bread)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook the pasta:
    Start by boiling a large pot of water. Add a generous pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the water. Once it’s at a rolling boil, cook your pasta according to the package directions, usually about 8-10 minutes for al dente. Once the pasta is ready, drain and set aside. Make sure to save about 1 cup of pasta water to add to the sauce later.
  2. Make the toasty rosemary breadcrumbs:
    While your pasta is cooking, let’s make the breadcrumbs. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter is melted, add the breadcrumbs to the skillet. Toss them around to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle in the finely chopped rosemary. Stir the breadcrumbs occasionally to ensure they toast evenly and become golden brown. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Once done, remove from heat and set aside.
  3. Prepare the creamy lemon sauce:
    In the same skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic! Then, pour in the chicken broth and let it simmer for a minute or two.

Next, add the heavy cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the skillet. Stir everything together and let the sauce simmer for about 5 minutes, allowing it to thicken slightly. Taste the sauce, and season with salt and pepper as needed. Once the sauce is perfectly creamy and lemony, stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until it melts into the sauce, making it even richer and smoother.

  1. Combine the pasta with the sauce:
    Add your cooked pasta into the skillet with the creamy lemon sauce. Toss it gently to coat the pasta in the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a little bit of the reserved pasta water to thin it out to your desired consistency.
  2. Top with toasty rosemary breadcrumbs:
    Once the pasta is well-coated, it’s time to serve! Dish out the pasta onto plates and generously sprinkle the toasty rosemary breadcrumbs on top. These breadcrumbs add the perfect crunch to balance the creaminess of the sauce. If you like, you can also sprinkle a little extra Parmesan for some added richness.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4
  • Calories: 500
  • Fat: 20g
  • Carbohydrates: 70g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 10g