Cream sauces are one of my favorites in Italian cuisine, surprising because my family is from the Calabria region, which is known more for hearty tomato sauces. When I was a newlywed, an Italian chef introduced me to light cream (or table cream) and I use it in all of my cream sauces. That cream, along with the order I add it, creates a velvety sauce that clings to pasta. Light cream also lets the bright acidity of the lemon shine.
Even better? I can make this lemon tagliatelle in about 20 minutes and it’s become one of our family’s favorite pasta dishes.
After dinner, sip on an authentic Italian amaretto sour and you’ll feel like you’re in Italy.
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Ingredient talk
I have found that light cream (labeled 18%) makes the best pasta cream sauce in both flavor and texture. It stays silky and doesn’t over-thicken my cream sauce recipes, such as my reader favorite butter and cream sauce recipe.
In the Chicago area, I use Dean’s Dairy Light Cream. If I can’t find it, I will grab a shelf-stable table cream in the Hispanic aisle. It holds up to the lemon juice, but you may need an extra splash of pasta water.
For this lemon cream sauce, I use dried tagliatelle because the egg in the pasta complements the richness of the lemon sauce while also clinging beautifully to it. Tagliatelle also cooks quickly. I have also tossed this creamy pasta sauce with dried fettuccine, cavatappi and fusilli.
How to make lemon butter sauce for pasta
My success for making this creamy lemon pasta recipe depends on the order the sauce ingredients are added. They are:
- light cream
- lemon zest
- unsalted butter
- pasta water
- lemon juice
- fresh grated Parmesan cheese (after adding pasta)
Success notes
It’s important that the lemon juice goes into the sauce last (after the butter and pasta water). The starchy pasta water acts as the carrier between the cream and the lemon juice.
Keep the heat on low once the lemon juice goes in. This will help the sauce stay smooth and creamy.
The sauce will tighten a bit once removed from the heat. This is where additional pasta water can be added in. It won’t compromise the flavor.
I use only fresh grated Parmesan. Pre-grated has caking agents that will affect the melting property of the cheese and creaminess of your sauce.
Storage and reheating
Cream sauces don’t typically hold up well past 2 days refrigerated. They tend to dry out.
To reheat (within the 2 day recommendation). Turn the heat on low and pour a splash or two of cream and a tablespoon or two of water to a small saucepan. Add the leftover pasta and stir gently as the pasta absorbs the fresh cream and water.
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Creamy Lemon Butter Tagliatelle Pasta (Pasta al Limone)
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Ingredients
- ½ lb tagliatelle pasta, reserve 1-1 ½ cups pasta water before draining
- 2 lemons, zested one first; then juiced for ¼ cup
- ¼ cup parmesan, fresh grated; more if needed or desired
- 1 cup light cream, or table cream; 18% milk fat
- 5 T unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- fresh parsley, minced; for garnish; optional
Instructions
- Cook 1/2 lb dried tagliatelle in about 5 qts of generously salted water for about 4 minutes (or according to package instructions) Reserve at least 1 – 1 ½ cups of pasta water, then drain pasta in a colander.½ lb tagliatelle pasta
- First zest then juice 1 lemon. Freshly grate parmesan cheese.2 lemons, ¼ cup parmesan
- To a large skillet, add the light cream and heat the pan to medium-low heat. Sprinkle in the lemon zest (reserve a little bit for garnishing the finished dish).Add in the butter, 1 Tablespoon at a time, thoroughly melting between additions, whisking the whole time. Starting with ½ cup, pour in pasta water followed by ¼ cup lemon juice and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Heat gently whisking the whole time until the sauce thickens. Toss in cooked tagliatelle and more pasta water as needed in small increments. Once you have the sauce where you like it, sprinkle in the parmesan cheese and zest over a little more lemon zest.1 cup light cream, 5 T unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon kosher salt , ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Top with freshly chopped parsley, if desired.fresh parsley
