Fancy an easy pasta lunch? Or looking for a simple pasta recipe to pair with the main dish for dinner? Either way, then you must check out this easy lemon mascarpone pasta recipe! This is a super simple and easy pasta recipe to make and it’s no short of delicious flavours. It’s a little tangy, slightly creamy yet still light to taste. The lemon effectively cuts through the savoury flavours and is a wonderfully delightful touch to the pasta.
What really keeps winning us over is how versatile the pasta is. You can enjoy it on its own, or it makes a fantastic pairing to some grilled chicken, fish and/or other main dishes too. One time, I served it with some Grilled Sumac Chicken (similar recipe to that in my One-pot Sumac Chicken Lemon Rice recipe) and those zingy flavours were simply dreamy. Honestly, the pairing possibilities are endless and it’s just sooo delicious!
How to Make Lemon Mascarpone Pasta
Ingredients
- Lemon – we’ll be using both juice and zest
- Pasta – any pasta shape of your choice. I usually use spaghetti or linguine
- Mascarpone Cheese
- Garlic
- Chicken Broth – to deglaze the pan
- Salt, Black Pepper, Dried Thyme – herbs & seasoning
- Reserved Pasta Water – an important golden rule for every pasta dish
- Cooking Oil
- Fresh Parsley Leaves – for garnish
Recipe notes
- Reserving pasta water is key to every pasta dish. The pasta water lends a salty flavour edge to the sauce, helps to thicken up the sauce, and also binds the sauce with the pasta. The result is a luscious sauce that’s properly coated over each pasta noodle and really makes a difference.
- The mascarpone cheese can be substituted with the likes of cream cheese or ricotta. However, the light and delicate nature of mascarpone cheese flavour mean it won’t overpower the lemon.
Easy Lemon Mascarpone Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 3-4 cloves Garlic
- 200 g Pasta
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- ¼ cup Chicken Broth
- 125 g Mascarpone Cheese
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- ⅓-½ cup Reserved Pasta Water from cooking the pasta
- Fresh Parsley Leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Boil a large pot of water and season it generously with salt. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water.200 g Pasta
- In a pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and saute garlic for about 2 minutes until golden and fragrant. Season with salt, black pepper, and thyme.2 tbsp Olive Oil, 3-4 cloves Garlic, ½ tsp Salt, ½ tsp Black Pepper, 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- Deglaze the pan with chicken broth. Let simmer for a bit until slightly reduced.¼ cup Chicken Broth
- Stir in mascarpone cheese and ⅓ cup of the reserved pasta water. Mix until it forms a creamy consistency. Add more pasta water if required.125 g Mascarpone Cheese, ⅓-½ cup Reserved Pasta Water
- Stir in lemon zest and lemon juice, and then add the cooked pasta. Toss to combine.Juice of 1 Lemon, Zest of 1 Lemon
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.Fresh Parsley Leaves
Notes
- Reserving pasta water is key to every pasta dish. The pasta water lends a salty flavour edge to the sauce, helps to thicken up the sauce, and also binds the sauce with the pasta. The result is a luscious sauce that’s properly coated over each pasta noodle and really makes a difference.
- The mascarpone cheese can be substituted with the likes of cream cheese or ricotta. However, the light and delicate nature of mascarpone cheese flavour mean it won’t overpower the lemon.
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