4 Ingredient Creamy Lemon Pasta
Updated Jan 30, 2026
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Creamy. Lemon. Pasta. 15 minutes. 4 ingredients. Do I have your attention?! If you’re looking for a SUPER quick and easy pasta dish then you have found it! Have dinner on the table in no time with this 4 Ingredient Creamy Lemon Pasta recipe.
Looking for more extra-fast pasta dishes? Try my Calabrian Chili Spinach Pasta next.
Creamy Lemon Pasta Recipe Details
To get started, all you need is some pasta (any shape will do), butter, mascarpone cheese, a lemon, and salt & pepper. Cook the pasta in salted water until it’s al dente, and be sure to save about half a cup of the pasta water before draining.
Next, toss the cooked pasta with the butter, mascarpone cheese, and a splash or two of the reserved pasta water. Stir everything together until it’s melted and creamy, adding more pasta water as needed to get the consistency just right.
Once you have the pasta and sauce well combined, it’s time to add the star ingredient: lemon! Add the juice and zest of half a lemon, stirring to combine. Season the pasta with salt and pepper to taste, and give it one last stir.
That’s it! Your 4 Ingredient Creamy Lemon Pasta is ready to serve. For an extra burst of lemony flavor, you can top the pasta with some additional lemon juice and zest. And if you’re a fan of cheese, a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan is a great finishing touch.
Creamy Lemon Pasta Instructions
Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 a cup of pasta water before draining and adding back to the same pot.
To the cooked pasta, toss in butter, mascarpone cheeses, and a couple splashes of past water. Stir until melted, well combined, and creamy. Add more pasta water as needed to get a creamy consistency.
Add lemon juice and zest. Stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
Optionally serve with additional lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
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4 Ingredient Creamy Lemon Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 oz Pasta, I used Penne but any shape works; save about 1/2 a cup of pasta water before draining
- 2 tablespoon Unsalted Butter
- 1/4 cup Mascarpone Cheese
- 1/2 Lemon, Juice and Zest; more to taste and serve
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
- Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated to serve; optional
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 a cup of pasta water before draining and adding back to the same pot.
- To the cooked pasta, toss in butter, mascarpone cheeses, and a couple splashes of past water. Stir until melted, well combined, and creamy. Add more pasta water as needed to get a creamy consistency.
- Add lemon juice and zest. Stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- Optionally serve with additional lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Video
@carolbeecooks 4 ingredient creamy lemon pasta 🍋 this recipe only takes 15 minutes to make (basically just the time it takes to make pasta!) 8 oz pasta (save 1/2 cup pasta water) 2 tbsp butter 1/4 cup mascarpone 1/2 lemon – zest and juice (more to serve) S&P to taste (more to serve) Optional parm to serve #pasta #pastatiktok #lemonpasta #4ingredientsrecipe #15minutemeal
♬ Me and Your Mama – Childish Gambino
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
