Herb-Infused Pasta with Lemon Garlic Cream
A creamy, aromatic pasta dish infused with fresh herbs and tangy lemon, perfect for a quick weeknight meal. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe, ready in about 40 minutes, pairs Penne pasta, Garlic cloves, Unsalted butter for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 550 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 12 oz Penne pasta
- 4 Garlic cloves
- 4 tbsp Unsalted butter
- 1 (juiced, 3 tbsp juice used) Lemon
- 1/4 cup (chopped) Fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup (grated) Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add 12 oz penne pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes until al dente, then drain and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Step 2: Melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant — do not let it brown.
- Step 3: Stir in 3 tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, and 1 tsp salt. Cook for 2 minutes until the mixture is glossy and fragrant.
- Step 4: Add 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Whisk until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Step 5: Toss the cooked pasta into the skillet, adding 1/4 cup pasta water to loosen the sauce. Cook for 2 minutes until everything is well combined.









