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This lemon garlic butter pasta is a super simple and quick weeknight dinner that you can throw together in under 20 minutes. The flavorful and creamy garlic butter sauce is tossed with your favorite pasta for a dinner that will become a family favorite.
One bite of this pasta with lemon butter garlic sauce and you’ll realize that a fabulous dinner doesn’t need to be complicated. In under 20 minutes, you’re going to have perfect al dente noodles tossed with a luscious lemon garlic butter sauce.
A simple dinner that tastes amazing? Let’s do this!
- Noodles – I used fettuccine, but anything that is long and thin will work (spaghetti, angel hair, linguine, etc.).
- Shallots – I LOVE them, but if you don’t have any on hand, use finely diced white or yellow onions.
Pro tips/Recipe Notes
- This recipe serves 2-3 if you’re using it as a main dish, or 4-6 if you want it as a side.
- The sauce is thick and creamy. If you prefer a thinner sauce, set aside 1/3 cup of pasta water instead of 1/4 cup.
- Garlic – if fresh garlic is too strong for you, cook the butter and garlic on low for longer to soften it, or replace it with some air fryer roasted garlic.
- Dry lemon? Roll the lemon on the counter while applying pressure to make it juicier.
- Make sure you warm the milk before adding it to the butter sauce. Cold milk will curdle when it interacts with the lemon juice/zest.
Lemon Garlic Butter Pasta (20 Minutes)
This lemon garlic butter pasta is a super simple and quick weeknight dinner that you can throw together in under 20 minutes. The flavorful and creamy garlic butter sauce is tossed with your favorite pasta for a dinner that will become a family favorite.
Ingredients
- 10 oz dry fettuccine noodles
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic {finely minced}
- 2 tbsp shallots {finely minced}
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup white cooking wine
- 3/4 cup chicken stock {sub in vegetable broth if needed}
- 1/2 cup whole milk {warmed}
- 1.5 tbsp lemon zest {~1 large lemon}
- 2 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- In a large saucepan bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil.
- Add fettuccine noodles and cook until al dente, ~10 minutes. Make the sauce while the pasta cooks.10 oz dry fettuccine noodles
- Drain all but ¼ cup of water from the fettuccine. Keep noodles in the saucepan with 1/4 cup of pasta water.
- In a large deep frying pan melt butter over medium-low heat.2 tbsp unsalted butter
- Add olive oil, garlic, and shallots. Stir until shallots are starting to soften, and a few of the pieces are starting to brown ~5 minutes.2 tbsp olive oil, 6 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp shallots
- Sprinkle flour over the top of the garlic and shallots, and whisk to combine. Cook for 2 minutes.1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- Slowly whisk in white wine, chicken stock, warmed whole milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice, whisking constantly to incorporate.1/4 cup white cooking wine, 3/4 cup chicken stock, 1/2 cup whole milk, 1.5 tbsp lemon zest, 2 tsp lemon juice
- Increase the temperature to medium heat and whisk constantly while it cooks at a near boil for 2 minutes.
- Reduce heat and add the cooked fettuccine noodles and ¼ cup pasta water to the lemon garlic butter mixture. Use tongs to combine the pasta and sauce. Cook for 1 minute.
- Top pasta with fresh chopped parsley and grated pecorino or Parmesan.
Notes
- Noodles – I used fettuccine but anything that is long and thin will work (spaghetti, angel hair, linguine).
- Make sure you warm the milk before adding it to the butter sauce. Cold milk will curdle when it interacts with the lemon juice/zest.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 300kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 9gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 64mgPotassium: 211mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 181IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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The school year is back in session and this sauce is on regular rotation for us! I have started making just the sauce to enjoy with garlic bread, on chicken or shrimp, or on potatoes. I love the brightness of the lemon and the solid foundation of the cheese and garlic.
Ohhhhh, I love the idea of the sauce for garlic bread. As always, Erin, you’re a genius!
Loved this! Threw in some shrimp and chili pepper flakes. 👍 Definitely will make again.
Mmmmm, I love the shrimp addition!!
Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
Another Lent comes to an end and this recipe is still going strong in our rotation throughout the year as a meat-free option! Even my Mom (who doesn’t enjoy garlic) likes this sauce once we cut the garlic in half — we love her so we make the sacrifice. We sometimes mix in shrimp for a fun seafood twist, too.
Your mom may not be vampire proof though, so watch her out in public. 🙂
Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
I made this yesterday. It was absolutely delicious. I increased the lemon juice (juice of two lemons) and Chicken broth (1 cup) as I did not have any white wine. It was so, so, so good and I will definitely be making it again!
So glad you liked it, Patricia! I’m with you in that more lemon is always good with me. 🙂
The perfect pasta. This had all the right amounts of comforting, creamy and tangy and we’ll definitely be having this again.
It’s so hard to pass up a cozy bowl of carbs and cheese. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed this one.
Another rating for this. It was delicious the first day and was even better the next day. We had it again/leftovers for dinner OMG. It was awesome. I sauté some garlic in olive oil because it was a bit dry leftover. But my kids said I can make this one day and we eat it the next day. Wow thanks for this new recipe for our rotation.
Awww, so happy to hear that! I wonder if you might want to add a bit more pasta water on the day you cook it. That might make it a bit less dry on day two.
This was a hit in the house. Everyone loved it. We added smoked chicken pieces to ours. We also used lactose free milk. This will be a recipe we will make again. Super easy and very delicious.
You had me at “smoked chicken”. YUM
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I find leeks a better substitute for shallots.
Chef’s choice – whatever works best for your tastes/kitchen!
Question about the milk aspect. I’m lactose intolerant and we need to use lactose free or an alternative milk. Could you make this without any of the milk? Or would that just not be the same?
We only use lactose-free milk (my oldest is lactose intolerant), so it would definitely work! 🙂
This easy pasta dish was an excellent addition to our Lenten meat-free rotation! We threw this together in no time after a long day at work. Our gluten free pasta worked really well and everyone was pleased!
So glad you enjoyed it, and yay for another way to enjoy GF pasta!
I LOVE the new order of the recipe instructions. So easy to follow by adding the amounts with the directions. The pictures are gorgeous and make everything look so appealing. Definitely making this lemon pasta for dinner tonight!!
Based on your photos after the fact, I happen to know that you loved this and it makes me so happy! 🙂
This looks really yummy! I will have to mess with the ratios in order to feed my whole fam but I definitely want to try it!
I know for your crew that will be a lot of sauce. A big and not too deep pan would work best to allow you to stir it well. Maybe like a dutch oven or something?