Creamy Meyer Lemon Pasta

This rich and Creamy Meyer Lemon Pasta uses just the right amount of lemon to give the pasta a light and fresh citrus taste.

Let me start by saying that a Meyer lemon is no ordinary lemon. If you're not familiar with this variety, all you have to do is google "what is the difference between a meyer" and the rest of the sentence "lemon and a regular lemon" pops up. See? You weren't the only one who didn't know. I'll save you the time and post the link to the info here. If you're not in the mood to read all about it, I can sum it up in just a couple of words: meyer lemons just taste better. If ever given the choice, choose a meyer lemon over your standard basic lemon. Just like you should choose a Hood strawberry over your standard-available-year-round-grocery-store strawberry. There's just no comparison.

The incredible flavor in this pasta comes from just the right amount of meyer lemon along with leek and heavy cream. Aren't leeks gorgeous? I just love thinly sliced leeks. They make all things better.

And yes, I did mention heavy cream. If you're dieting, pasta isn't really your friend anyway. But this pasta? Prepare to just throw your food log out the window if you're going to indulge in this little plate of heaven. There's a ton of heavy cream in this pasta, which is part of the reason it tastes so good. But go on - you only live once and its okay to splurge every so often (or every week, in my case). Make yourself feel less guilty and serve it with grilled chicken and asparagus. You know I can rationalize anything. My entire family loved this, and I'm certain yours will too.

Creamy Lemon Pasta

This rich and Creamy Meyer Lemon Pasta uses just the right amount of lemon to give the pasta a light and fresh citrus taste.

5 from 5 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Scale: 6 servings

Recipe Created By: Krissy Allori

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 pound pasta (pappardelle recommended)
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon kosher salt (for pasta water)
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons butter
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 leek (white part sliced thin (about 8 ounces), roots and green parts discarded)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic (about 2 cloves, minced )
• ▢ 2 cups heavy cream
• ▢ 2 Meyer lemons (zested and juiced)
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons fresh basil (sliced into thin ribbons )
• ▢ ½ cup parmesan cheese (finely grated (recommend using a Microplane))
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt (more if needed to season cream sauce)

Instructions

• Prep ingredients: Have everything sliced, zested, juiced, and measured out prior to cooking. You will cook the sauce at the same time as the pasta.
• Heat pasta water: Add a tablespoon of salt to a large pot of water and bring to a boil.
• Sauté vegetables: Meanwhile, in a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the leeks to the pan. Sauté, stirring often until the leeks are softened and just starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté another minute or two.
• Cook pasta: When the salted water comes to a roaring boil, add pasta and keep the heat as high as you can without it bubbling over. Cook the pasta according to the package directions (my pappardelle took about 12 minutes). When the pasta is done, dip a measuring cup into the salted pasta water and scoop out 1-2 cups before draining the pasta. This will be used to thin the sauce. Drain the pasta and keep it warm.
• Make cream sauce: Add the heavy cream to the pan with the leeks. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the cream is heated through and starts to bubble around the edges. Add all of the lemon zest and about half of the lemon juice. Stir in the basil, parmesan, and salt.
• Combine pasta with sauce: Add warm cooked pasta to the cream sauce. Stir to coat the pasta. As the sauce continues to heat, it will thicken. Add reserved pasta water, a couple of tablespoons at a time, to thin if needed. Taste and add additional lemon juice and additional salt, if desired.
• Serve: Add pasta to serving bowls and top with freshly ground pepper and additional basil and parmesan.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Calories: 650kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 171mg | Potassium: 262mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1565IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 165mg | Iron: 1mg

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