Description
Delightful basil pasta with lemon garlic butter sauce brings Mediterranean sunshine to your dinner table. Silky noodles dance with zesty lemon and aromatic garlic, creating a simple yet sophisticated meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 8 ounces (226 grams) pasta (farfalle or bow-tie)
- 2 ounces (56 grams) fresh basil
- 1 cup (100 grams) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Aromatics and Flavor Enhancers:
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) salted butter, divided
- 5 cloves garlic, fresh (minced)
- 1/2 lemon, thinly sliced (preferably Meyer lemon)
- 1/2 cup (60 grams) pine nuts, lightly toasted
Seasonings:
- Salt, to taste
- Black cracked pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Caramelize thin Meyer lemon slices and minced garlic in butter over medium-high heat for 5 minutes until golden brown. Remove from heat, add additional butter, and discard lemon slices.
- Boil water and cook pasta until al dente. Drain thoroughly.
- Transfer hot pasta into the skillet with infused butter and garlic, mixing completely.
- Incorporate Parmesan cheese by stirring on low-medium heat for 2 minutes, allowing cheese to slightly melt. Season with salt after tasting.
- Fold half the fresh basil into the hot pasta, ensuring even distribution.
- Prepare pine nuts by toasting in a 350°F oven for precisely 5 minutes, monitoring closely to prevent burning.
- Before serving, garnish with remaining basil, toasted pine nuts, and freshly ground peppercorns.
- For optimal flavor, use freshly cracked pepper from whole peppercorns, selecting from black, white, or green varieties for complexity.
- Select Meyer lemons for a milder, less acidic profile, using only half the fruit sliced extremely thin.
Notes
- Elevate the lemon flavor by using Meyer lemons, which offer a sweeter, less acidic profile compared to regular lemons.
- Carefully toast pine nuts in the oven for maximum flavor, watching closely to prevent burning, as they can quickly go from perfectly golden to charred.
- Freshly grind whole peppercorns for the most vibrant and aromatic black pepper experience, avoiding pre-ground options that lack depth.
- Try dietary variations by substituting gluten-free pasta for a celiac-friendly version or using vegan butter and nutritional yeast to create a dairy-free alternative.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 517 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 208 mg
- Fat: 37 g
- Saturated Fat: 19 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 56 mg