Creamy Lemon Garlic Spaghetti

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 0.5 cup yellow onion (Diced)
• 1 tbsp fresh garlic (Minced)
• 1.5 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 0.75 cup chicken broth
• 1.5 cup unsweetened heavy whipping cream (Room temperature)
• salt (To taste; also used to salt the pasta water)
• 0.5 tsp black pepper (Additional freshly cracked black pepper may be used to garnish)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp dried parsley (Listed as parsley in the source)
• 0.75 cup Parmesan cheese (Freshly grated; additional Parmesan may be used for seasoning and garnish)
• 1 tbsp lemon zest (Additional zest may be used to garnish)
• 2 tsp lemon juice (Add last to the sauce; additional juice may be used to adjust seasoning)
• 1 tsp red chili flakes (The method also calls these red pepper flakes)
• 1 cup reserved pasta water (You may not need the full amount; reserve before draining the pasta)
• 9 oz spaghetti (Cook according to package instructions until al dente)
• fresh parsley (Chopped, for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions until al dente.

2. 2

   Before draining the spaghetti, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and set it aside.

3. 3

   Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the diced onion.

4. 4

   Sauté the onion for 4–5 minutes, until it is soft and translucent.

5. 5

   Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds, until fragrant.

6. 6

   Sprinkle in the flour and whisk continuously for about 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.

7. 7

   Gradually pour in the chicken broth while whisking until the mixture is smooth. Let it simmer for 2–3 minutes, until it begins to thicken slightly.

8. 8

   Reduce the heat to low and slowly stir in the room-temperature heavy cream.

9. 9

   Add the garlic powder, Italian seasoning, black pepper, red chili flakes, and salt to taste. Simmer for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

10. 10

    Add the freshly grated Parmesan cheese and stir it into the sauce.

11. 11

    Stir in the lemon zest, then add the lemon juice last.

12. 12

    Add the cooked spaghetti to the skillet and toss until every strand is coated in the creamy sauce.

13. 13

    Gradually add the reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time, tossing continuously, until the sauce becomes silky and coats the pasta. You may not need all of the water.

14. 14

    Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt, black pepper, Parmesan, or lemon juice if needed.

15. 15

    Garnish with freshly chopped parsley, extra grated Parmesan, lemon zest, and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve immediately while hot.

Notes

The source lists pasta water twice; it is treated as one 1-cup reserved quantity. The amount of garnish is not specified. The source does not specify the exact pasta-water salting amount or a precise serving yield.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• Italian-inspired
• vegetarian
• creamy
• stovetop
• quick meal