This lemon butter noodle dish is a nod to parents everywhere who just need to get dinner on the table, and fast. With just 4 ingredients (that you likely already have on hand) and a 20 minute cook time, it's a weeknight standby. This butter and lemon pasta is a mashup of my super popular lemon butter sauce recipe and my craveable garlic butter pasta recipe. It’s as quick to make as my creamy pesto pasta and is all done on the stovetop.
If you find me in my kitchen eating this pasta dish out of the pan, please don’t judge. Pasta drenched in butter with that pop of citrus is just too hard for me to resist. Likely I forgot to eat lunch and the 5 o’clock witching hour is real.
Ingredients
- Lemon Butter: Super easy to make, you’ll need the zest and juice of a lemon. You can make this ahead of time or while the pasta cooks.
- Pasta Water: This is what really makes the dish come together. Save the water from boiling your pasta. The starch that comes off the pasta and into the water helps emulsify the garlic butter and Parmesan into a creamy sauce.
- Parmesan Cheese (Optional): For a simple 3 ingredient pasta dish, you can leave it out, but I like adding it in for a little extra umami.
How to make Lemon Butter Noodles
In a pot, bring water to a boil and add your pasta. Cook according to package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving the pasta cooking water.
While the pasta cooks, in a large saucepan melt lemon butter (or make it if you don’t have any on hand).
Add the cooked pasta to the melted lemon butter. Then add in the Parmesan cheese and pasta water stirring as you go.
Keep stirring until everything is incorporated and the Parmesan has melted into the sauce. Salt and pepper to taste and then serve it hot and delicious!
Best Pasta Shape
I love using a long pasta shape for this recipe. Spaghetti, fettuccine, and linguine are all great options. In a pinch I would use farfalle to pair with the lemon butter. Something about the bowtie shape just makes sense.
💡Hot Tip: Break your noodles in half before putting them into the water to cook. It makes it easier for kiddos to get them on their forks. You can also find "pot sized spaghetti" which is just half sized spaghetti noodles.
Variations
While this dish is awesome on its own, here are a few ideas to add to it for an even more “complete” meal.
- Add fresh herbs: Chop up some fresh herbs from the garden and add those to the butter when it’s melting.
- Add a protein. Try serving this pasta alongside my Lemon Garlic Butter Baked fish and serve with sauteed spinach. Or (if you don't keep kosher like we do), add some sliced grilled chicken right on top of your pasta bowl. Or glake in hot smoked salmon for a smoky twist.
- Add a veggie or two. Make a tray of roasted broccoli or a pan of charred snap peas and add them into the pasta.
- Swap the lemon butter: Use another compound butter in place of the lemon butter. Garlic Butter is always delicious and an herb butter would be an awesome swap. Or use them together and get a dish similar to my one pan lemon garlic pasta recipe.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
You can store the leftover pasta dish in the fridge for up to 4 days. I would not recommend freezing it.
To reheat your pasta with lemon butter, I suggest doing it on the stovetop with a little bit of added water or even milk to help bring back the creaminess. Once warmed, be sure to stir it up well, and then enjoy!
Other Easy Pasta Dishes you’ll love
Did you try this recipe and and love it? 😍 Let me know by leaving a comment below or 5 ⭐ rating!
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📖 Recipe
3-Ingredient Lemon Butter Noodles
Ingredients
- 8 TB Lemon Butter (see recipe here)
- 16 oz long pasta (spaghetti, fettucine or angel hair)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
- ½ cup pasta water reserve from pasta cooking water
Instructions
- Bring the pasta water to a boil and add your pasta. Cook according to package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving the pasta cooking water.
- While the pasta cooks, in a large sauce pan, melt the lemon butter.
- Add the cooked pasta into the lemon butter and then add in the Parmesan cheese and pasta water slowly (you may need more or less depending on how the dish is coming together).
- Continue stirring until everything is incorporated and the Parmesan has melted into the sauce. (See note below if you are leaving the Parmesan out).
Marni Katz says
I made this for dinner tonight and I'm still in love with the recipe! Let me know what you think 🙂