Name: Lemon Mascarpone Fettuccine
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 6 ounces fettuccine; 1/3 cup heavy cream; 1 teaspoon lemon zest; Juice of 1 lemon; 8 ounces mascarpone cheese; 2 large basil leaves (thinly sliced)

Rich and decadent lemon mascarpone pasta is a quick pasta dish for two that’s so easy to make. In the time it takes to boil the pasta, you can make the lemon cheese sauce – the whole dish takes about 20 minutes to make!

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We’re giving ourselves a little gift in the form of carbs with this easy lemon pasta! It’s made with mascarpone cheese, lemon, and basil and is so simple and easy. It’s my favorite kind of comfort food that hits particularly well on a Friday night after a long week. But, let’s be real, pasta is for any night of the week, and this is one to add to the list.

Ingredients

Pasta: I like to use a long pasta shape like fettuccine, spaghetti, or linguine but short pasta shapes like penne will work, too.
Lemon: We’re using the juice and zest so the sauce is very lemony.
Mascarpone cheese: This is a soft Italian cheese similar to cream cheese in texture, but not tangy like creamy cheese. It has a rich milky flavor.
Heavy cream
Fresh basil leaves

How to Make It

☑️ Cook the Pasta

Boil the pasta in a large pot of water. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water before you drain it. You may not need it, but it’s good to have in case the mascarpone sauce is too thick and you need to thin it.

☑️ Make the Lemon Mascarpone Sauce

While the pasta boils, make the sauce in a large pan. Start by warming the cream, lemon juice, and zest over medium heat. Once the cream is steaming hot, add the cheese. I like to drop it by the spoonful into the cream, instead of one big blob, so it melts into the sauce faster.

Once the cheese has melted, stir in the sliced basil.

☑️ Toss and Serve

Add the pasta to the sauce and use tongs to turn it over in the sauce to coat it evenly. If your sauce is too thick, add a splash or two of the reserved pasta water to thin it.

The pasta is best as soon as it’s made. The sauce will start to thicken as it cools and won’t be as creamy.

You can refrigerate the leftovers, but the pasta won’t be nearly as creamy. So, it’s a good idea to warm a little bit of cream when you heat up the leftovers – it helps loosen the sauce.

a bowl of fettuccine with lemon mascarpone sauce.

More Pasta Recipes for Two

Lemon Mascarpone Fettuccine

Mascarpone cheese and lemon are the perfect match in this 20-minute pasta dish. While the pasta is boiling, you can make the creamy lemon sauce and then bring it all together. So simple and easy.

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Author: April Anderson

Servings: servings

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 20

Ingredients

6 ounces fettuccine
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Juice of 1 lemon
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
2 large basil leaves thinly sliced

Instructions

Boil the pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water before draining the pasta.
Warm the heavy cream, lemon zest, and juice in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once it's steaming hot, add the mascarpone cheese. I like to add it by the spoonful so it melts faster. Stir the cheese into the hot cream until the sauce is smooth.
Add the basil and cooked pasta to the sauce. Use tongs to toss the pasta so it's evenly coated in the sauce. If the sauce needs thinning, add a splash or two of the reserved pasta water.

Notes

The pasta is best when it’s made. Once the sauce is cooled it will thicken and lose it’s creamy texture. If there are leftovers, you can refrigerate them but add a splash or two of cream when you warm them up. It will help loosen the sauce.

It’s easy to put your own spin on this recipe – add a protein like chicken or shrimp or add a veggie like spinach, asparagus, mushrooms, or broccoli. If you go this route, cook the meat or veggies first and then add them after you’ve made the sauce.