🍋🧈 Lemon Butter Pasta Sauce

A bright, silky, buttery sauce perfect for spaghetti, linguine, shrimp pasta, chicken pasta, or even vegetables.

⭐ Ingredients (Makes enough for 8 oz / 225 g pasta)

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional but helps prevent butter from burning)

• 1 lemon, zested

• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (½ a large lemon)

• ½ cup pasta water (or chicken broth for extra flavor)

• ¼ teaspoon chili flakes (optional)

• Salt & pepper, to taste

• 1–2 tablespoons grated Parmesan (optional but makes it creamier)

• Fresh parsley for garnish

🔪 Instructions

1. Melt the butter

• In a pan over medium heat, melt the butter (with olive oil if using).

2. Sauté the garlic

• Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant — don’t brown it.

3. Add lemon components

• Stir in lemon zest and lemon juice.

• Add chili flakes if you want a little heat.

4. Add pasta water

• Pour in about ½ cup starchy pasta water (or broth).

• Let simmer 2–3 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens.

5. Add Parmesan (optional)

• Stir in 1–2 tablespoons grated Parmesan for a silky texture.

6. Toss with pasta

• Add cooked pasta directly into the sauce.

• Toss for 1–2 minutes on low heat to help the sauce cling.

7. Serve

• Top with fresh parsley, extra Parmesan, or more lemon zest.

💡 Tips

• Use salted butter for the best flavor.

• If the sauce tastes too sour, add ½ teaspoon sugar or more butter.

• If too thick, add extra pasta water.

• If too thin, simmer 1–2 minutes.

🍋 Variations

Creamy Lemon Butter Sauce

Add:

• ¼ cup heavy cream

• Reduce lemon juice slightly

Garlic Lemon Shrimp Version

Add:

• 8–12 shrimp, sautéed first in the pan

• Then proceed with the sauce in the same pan

Lemon Herb Version

Add:

• Fresh basil or thyme in the last minute

Lemon Caper Version

Add:

• 1 tablespoon capers + a splash of brine

❓ Q&A Section

Q1: Can I make this sauce without pasta water?

A: Yes! Replace with ½ cup chicken broth or vegetable broth.

Q2: Can I make this dairy-free?

A: Use vegan butter and skip the Parmesan. Add 1 tsp nutritional yeast for a cheesy note.

Q3: Can I use bottled lemon juice?

A: Fresh lemon tastes best, but bottled works in a pinch—use 2 tablespoons instead of 3.

Q4: Why is my sauce separating?

A: Common mistakes:

• Sauce boiled too hard

• Added lemon juice before butter melted

• Too much acid
  Fix: Lower heat and whisk in 1 tablespoon extra butter.

Q5: What pasta works best?

• Spaghetti

• Linguine

• Angel hair

• Fettuccine

• Or short pasta like penne or rigatoni

Anything works, but long pasta coats beautifully!