Lemon Butter Pasta Light (Print version)

Delicate angel hair pasta tossed in a silky lemon-butter sauce with fresh parsley and Parmesan.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz capellini (angel hair pasta)
02 - 1 tablespoon salt (for pasta water)

→ Sauce

03 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter
04 - 2 large lemons, zested and juiced (about 1/4 cup juice)
05 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

→ Finishing

06 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
07 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
08 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
09 - Salt, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the capellini and cook according to package instructions until al dente (typically 2–3 minutes). Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stir to combine and let it warm through for 1–2 minutes.
03 - Add the drained capellini to the skillet. Toss to coat the pasta evenly, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce.
04 - Remove from heat. Stir in the grated Parmesan, chopped parsley, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
05 - Divide among plates, garnish with extra Parmesan and parsley if desired, and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in exactly the time it takes your pasta to cook, making this genuinely possible on even your most exhausted weeknights.
  • The balance between tangy lemon and rich butter creates this luxurious silkiness that coats each strand of pasta perfectly without feeling heavy.
02 -
  • Letting the pasta sit too long after cooking will result in a sticky, clumped mess, so have all ingredients prepped and ready before starting.
  • The sauce might look too thin initially, but it thickens considerably as it cools with the pasta, so err on the side of slightly too loose rather than too tight.
03 -
  • The temperature of your butter matters tremendously - it should be melted but not browned for the cleanest lemon flavor, so watch it carefully.
  • Warming your serving bowls in a low oven while you finish the pasta makes the entire eating experience more luxurious and keeps the sauce from seizing up.
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