Description
A bright and comforting pasta dish made with rigatoni tossed in a silky lemon cream sauce infused with fresh sage and Parmesan, offering a perfect balance of citrus freshness and cozy, savory flavor.
Ingredients
- Rigatoni pasta: 400 grams
- Olive oil: 2 tablespoons
- Fresh sage leaves: 8–10 leaves, finely sliced
- Garlic: 3 cloves, finely minced
- Heavy cream: 240 milliliters
- Lemon zest: zest of 2 medium lemons
- Lemon juice: 60 milliliters, freshly squeezed
- Grated Parmesan cheese: 60 grams
- Salt: 1 teaspoon, or to taste
- Black pepper: 0.5 teaspoon, freshly ground
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni until al dente according to package instructions, then drain and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat until gently shimmering.
- Add the minced garlic and sliced sage to the skillet and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the heavy cream and let it simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice, allowing the sauce to bubble softly.
- Add the cooked rigatoni to the skillet and toss until evenly coated with the sauce.
- Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until fully melted and smooth.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste, remove from heat, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the brightest and cleanest flavor.
- Keep the heat moderate when cooking the sauce to prevent splitting.
- Add Parmesan gradually so it melts smoothly into the sauce.
- If the sauce becomes too thick, add a small splash of reserved pasta water.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 17 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
Keywords: lemon pasta, sage pasta, creamy rigatoni, vegetarian pasta recipe, lemon cream sauce, easy pasta dinner