Creamy, Lemony Pasta

By Yasmin Fahr

Published Sept. 25, 2022

Creamy, Lemony Pasta
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
Total Time
15 minutes
Rating
4(2,350)
Comments
Read comments

This 15-minute pasta lets you decide how much effort to put in: If you’ve had a day and need an easy, no-nonsense meal, then make it as-is and use kitchen shears to cut your scallions. If you’re feeling slightly more ambitious, then make a topping that adds texture, vibrant green color and more lemony flavor to the dish (see Tip). But don’t cut corners when it comes to the yogurt: Use a thick, strained whole-milk yogurt like labneh, Greek or skyr, as it will give the finished dish an irresistibly rich and tangy taste.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
  • 1pound short curly pasta, such as cavatappi, fusilli or farfalle
  • 1large lemon, zested and juiced (about 1 tablespoon zest and 3 tablespoons juice)
  • A heaping ¾ cup grated Parmesan, plus more as needed
  • ¼cup labneh or other thick, strained whole-milk yogurt, such as Greek or skyr, drained if necessary
  • 2scallions, green and white parts, sliced
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

591 calories; 11 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 90 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 30 grams protein; 471 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, adjust the heat to maintain a gentle boil, and cook until just shy of al dente, 2 to 3 minutes less than the package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta, then return to the pot on the stove over medium-low heat.

  2. Step 2

    Stir in ¾ cup of the pasta water and half the lemon juice. Add several grinds of black pepper, then gradually add the Parmesan, stirring vigorously between additions to prevent clumping, until a silky sauce has formed. Add a tablespoon of water at a time as needed to make a creamier sauce if it looks dry. Stir in the labneh, remaining lemon juice, lemon zest and scallions until creamy and combined, about 1 minute more. Season with salt as needed. Finish with another grind of pepper and serve immediately.

Tip
  • To make the lemony scallion topping, combine 4 sliced scallions with ¼ cup cilantro leaves and stems roughly chopped or torn, the juice of ½ a lemon and a pinch or two of salt. Serve over the finished pasta.

Ratings

4 out of 5
2,350 user ratings
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Comments

Sasquatch

Many recipes for pasta (even some from this very site) now note that large pots of boiling salted water are not needed to cook pasta. In fact, many suggest using much less water results in pasta water that is starchier and better for use in sauces and coatings. And, it just might collectively result in less water usage overall, something our aquifers and reservoirs would benefit from.

Euphemia Thompson

I have been for several years now using much less water than what is considered usual and customary. My pasta cooks perfectly, and in cases where you need to reserve some of the cooking water for the recipe, it's much richer. Glad you pointed this out.

Llt

Made this exactly as written, terrific! Second time I added leftover salmon and some sautéed broccoli, still terrific! Thank you

We Don't Need No Haters

1/3 c yogurt. mix yogurt and cheese. maybe less lemon juice.

Hngr

Easy to make but agree with others that I found it bland.

Hs

I wanted to like this but it was too tangy for me. Might try it again and see if I made a mistake somewhere that would be improved second time around.

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