Creamy Dill Lemon Pasta (Printable version)

Light pasta with creamy dill sauce, lemon zest, and Parmesan, ideal for a fresh, easy meal.

# Ingredient list:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz dried pasta (fettuccine, linguine, or penne)

→ Sauce

02 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - Zest of 1 lemon
05 - ¾ cup plus 1 tbsp heavy cream
06 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
07 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
08 - 1 tsp salt, plus additional for pasta water
09 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1½ oz grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 3 tbsp chopped fresh dill, plus extra for garnish

→ Optional Additions

12 - 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
13 - 5 oz smoked salmon, flaked (omit for vegetarian)

# Step-by-step guide:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain.
02 - Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and lemon zest; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in the heavy cream, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened.
04 - Add the Parmesan, salt, and black pepper. Stir continuously until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
05 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat evenly, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky texture.
06 - Stir in the chopped dill and peas if using. Toss until thoroughly combined and warmed through.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve immediately, garnished with additional dill and smoked salmon if preferred.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • Ready in under thirty minutes but tastes like you've been simmering something all afternoon.
  • The dill and lemon combination is bright enough to feel fresh, the cream makes it feel indulgent—nobody guesses it's this simple.
  • Works for impressing people or feeding yourself something that doesn't feel like a weeknight compromise.
02 -
  • Don't let the cream boil hard or it will separate and look broken—gentle heat means everything here.
  • That reserved pasta water is not a suggestion; the starch is what transforms a thin sauce into something that clings and tastes finished.
  • Fresh dill added at the end tastes completely different from dill that's cooked down for five minutes, so wait until the very last moment.
03 -
  • Have everything prepped before you start cooking—minced garlic, zested lemon, pasta water reserved—so you're not scrambling when things start moving fast.
  • Taste the sauce before adding pasta so you know exactly how it tastes plain; seasoning a finished dish is much harder than seasoning the sauce alone.
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