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This Creamy Lemon Butter Sauce is delectable, delicious, and perfect over a nice dish of farfalle pasta, commonly known as bowtie pasta. If you want to combine the cheesy flavors of a great Italian sauce with a tad of lemon zing, this recipe is for you. It is an easy meal that tastes like it took a long time to prepare. 

A bowl of Creamy Lemon Pasta Sauce with Farfalle noodles and the rest of the skillet behind it. There is a napkin, lemon, and garlic on the table.
Bowtie pasta with a delicious lemon butter sauce!

This is a great spring and summer recipe, but really can be served any time of year. It tastes light, but has a savory, zesty, flavor that is very filling.

This would make for a great side to our Baked Walleye with White Wine Sauce, a light contrast to a delicious Detroit Coney Dog, or if you want to keep everything light and bright, serve it with this Strawberry Salad with Simple Vinaigrette. If you are looking for a heavier spaghetti style recipe, check out my traditional Pasta Sauce recipe. No matter what you decide, make sure to treat yourself!

Table of Contents

🔥 Ingredients

While lemon and farfalle pasta are in the name, it does take a few other ingredients to pull this together.

  • Farfalle pasta
  • Garlic
  • Butter
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Heavy Whipping Cream
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Lemon
  • Parsley (optional)

See recipe card for quantities.

Choose Organic Lemons

Whenever I use zest, I try to use organic fruit.  Because the skin of a non-organic lemon is probably treated more aggressively and has preservatives sprayed on it, I tend to use organic whenever I have something that calls for zest. Since we are adding zest very early on in the Creamy Lemon Butter Sauce cooking instructions, I would recommend forking out a few extra cents for the chemical limiting organic lemons.

No matter what, make sure to wash them lemons!

Farfalle Pasta

So, farfalle is the fancy name for what I grew up knowing as bow tie pasta. It is a simple and great pasta for this recipe. The creamy lemon butter sauce coats the little bow ties really well and works great.

Selecting the Parmesan Cheese For This Recipe

I am not gonna lie, I have a thing of the grated green parmesan cheese around my house. I use it, but I am not going to use it for this. It doesn’t go on special recipes and this Creamy Lemon Butter Sauce is definitely special enough to splurge. I recommend getting to your store and buying a wedge of parmesan cheese and grating it yourself for this recipe. You are special enough to buy the wedge! Also, I like to use block cheese anyways. As we previously looked at with macaroni and cheese, the pre-shredded cheese just has more chemicals and ‘stuff’ on it.

🍲 Instructions

To make this delightful dish, start by melting butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat and adding minced garlic. While the garlic softens, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the farfalle pasta according to the package instructions. As the pasta cooks, add lemon zest, pepper, and a pinch of salt to the softened garlic in the saucepan, and let it simmer for five minutes.

Next, pour in the heavy whipping cream and bring it to a simmer, stirring continuously to prevent scorching. After about five minutes, gradually add the grated parmesan cheese, stirring until it melts into the creamy mixture. Keep the sauce on low heat while the pasta finishes cooking.

Once the pasta is done, drain it well. Toss the pasta first with the fresh lemon juice, then with the luscious cream sauce. Serve immediately, garnished with extra parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of fresh parsley if desired. Enjoy this creamy, zesty delight with family and friends!

Lemon zest, lemon juice, and cheese in containers.
Not much really goes into this recipe. When the butter and garlic have cooked, add lemon zest, pepper, and salt to saucepan.
Butter, garlic, lemon zest, and peper simmering in a metal pan.
This is the butter, garlic, lemon zest, and fresh cracked pepper simmering in a saucepan before I add the heavy whipping cream to the mix.
Cream being added to lemon butter sauce.
When pouring the cream into the butter mixture, gently mix with a spoon. Continue mixing. Over medium-low heat, there is a risk of scorching the cream, which is undesirable. Once at a simmer, you are ready to add and slowly mix in the cheese.

🤷 Substitutions and variations

For a twist on this recipe, try using different pasta shapes like penne or fusilli. If you prefer a lighter option, substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream.

For a burst of extra flavor, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a handful of baby spinach to the sauce. You can also swap out parmesan for pecorino Romano for a sharper taste.

Want to make it more protein-packed? Add grilled chicken or shrimp. Enjoy experimenting and making this dish your own!

📦 Storage

To store leftovers, place the pasta in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days. When reheating, add a splash of cream or milk to restore the creamy texture. Gently warm in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Enjoy your delicious pasta again!

🎓 History tidbit

The origins of creamy lemon butter sauce trace back to classic French cuisine, where butter and cream are staples. The addition of lemon adds a fresh, zesty twist, inspired by Mediterranean cooking, particularly Italian cuisine which loves combining citrus with pasta.

Farfalle pasta, also known as bow-tie pasta, dates back to the 16th century in Northern Italy, specifically in the regions of Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna . This delightful blend of culinary traditions creates a dish that’s both rich and refreshing.

❓ FAQ

Why did my lemon butter sauce turn blue?

A chemical reaction between the lemon and a reactive metal in your cookware can cause discoleration. Using non-reactive cookware like stainless steel or non-stick pans can prevent this.

How do you keep lemon cream sauce from curdling?

To prevent curdling, ensure you add the lemon juice to the pasta before mixing in the cream sauce. Also, keep the heat low when combining lemon and cream, and stir continuously. Avoid boiling the sauce once the cream is added.

Can lemon and heavy cream be mixed in pasta?

Yes, you can mix lemon and heavy cream! The key is to do it slowly and at a low temperature to prevent curdling. Adding the lemon juice to the pasta first, then combining it with the cream sauce, helps maintain a smooth texture.

How can I add more flavor to my lemon butter sauce?

To enhance the flavor, consider adding a pinch of red pepper flakes for a bit of heat, or a handful of fresh herbs like basil or thyme. You can also incorporate some white wine before adding the cream for a deeper, more complex flavor.

📝 Tips and tricks

  • Make sure to add the lemon juice to the pasta after drained, but before the cream is added and tossed.
  • Use Organic Lemons.
  • Use real parmesan cheese for the best results in this creamy lemon butter sauce recipe.
  • I use farfalle pasta (otherwise known as bow-tie noodles), but any pasta that is appropriate for a skillet dish would be good.
Overhead shot of the Creamy Lemon Butter Sauce and Farfalle pasta in the skillet.

🛠 Products used in this recipe

😋 Did you make this recipe?

That is awesome, and thank you so much for giving this Creamy Lemon Butter Sauce Over Farfalle Pasta recipe a try. If you could leave a rating in the comment area below, it would be greatly appreciated. This lets me know how I am doing and also helps others decide if they want to make this recipe. Most of all, thanks for visiting Ramshackle Pantry.

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Creamy Lemon Pasta over Farfalle in a light blue bowl and the entire dish right behind it.

Creamy Lemon Butter Sauce Over Farfalle Pasta

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Ben Myhre
  • Prep Time: 5 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 Minutes
  • Total Time: 30 Minutes
  • Yield: 4 Servings 1x
  • Category: Pasta
  • Method: Skillet
  • Cuisine: Italian
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Description

A lemon pasta recipe that comforts the soul and fills a plate with comfort goodness. This Creamy Lemon Butter Sauce over Farfalle pasta is so simple, but feels so big. It is easy to make and even easier to eat.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 pound farfalle pasta
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pepper to taste
  • 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
  • 1 cup grated parmsan cheese + extra for garnish
  • Zest from one lemon
  • Juice from one lemon
  • Parsley (optional)

Instructions

  1. Melt butter in sauce pan on medium low and add garlic
  2. Start water for pasta and cook per the pasta instructions.
  3. While pasta is cooking, continue on. Once garlic is soft, add lemon zest, pepper, and salt to saucepan
  4. Simmer for 5 minutes
  5. Add cream and bring to simmer. Let cook for about 5 minutes.Make sure to stir, as you don’t want the cream to scorch.
  6. Slowly add parmesan cheese to cream mixture, stir to melt
  7. Continue to stir and put on low until pasta is done
  8. Drain pasta
  9. First toss in lemon juice and then add cream sauce
  10. Serve and garnish with grated parmesan cheese and parsley.

Notes

  • Make sure to add the lemon juice to the pasta after drained, but before the cream is added and tossed.
  • Use Organic Lemons.
  • Use real parmesan cheese for the best results in this creamy lemon butter sauce recipe.
  • I use farfalle pasta (otherwise known as bow-tie noodles), but any pasta that is appropriate for a skillet dish would be good.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 dish
  • Calories: 826 Calories
  • Sugar: 6 g
  • Sodium: 767 mg
  • Fat: 43 g
  • Saturated Fat: 25 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
  • Carbohydrates: 94 g
  • Fiber: 5 g
  • Protein: 23 g
  • Cholesterol: 134 mg

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9 Comments

  2. The kids said they were gonna eat at the friends house, they stopped by to grab something & tried the pasta. Needless to say, they finished off every piece.
    Very good recipe.
    I used grated Parmesan cus it’s what I had. I also added more Parm, salt and pepper than it called for.
    So delicious, good job!

    Reply

    1. Thanks for giving it a try and glad you liked it! Nothing wrong with more cheese! Or salt & pepper. :_

    1. Awesome! So glad you tried it and like it. Thanks so much for visiting and giving it a try.

  5. Very good! Almost the whole family loved it!- the exception being my 6 year old who said she liked the noodles with just the lemon juice more than with the cream sauce added. But otherwise great and very easy to follow!

    Reply