Lemon Butter Herb Pasta

A quick, delicious, and light pasta sauce with a zesty flavor! You can easily add chicken, shrimp, or your favorite veggies to personalize this basic lemon-butter sauce. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Course lunch/dinner

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4 people

Calories 2413.9 kcal

Equipment

1 Large Pot For cooking pasta
1 Colander For draining pasta
1 Saucepan For preparing the sauce
1 Whisk or Wooden Spoon For stirring sauce and pasta

Ingredients

Main

4 cups bow-tie pasta farfalle
¼ cup butter
¼ cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Gather all ingredients. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta at a boil, stirring occasionally, until cooked through yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes; drain. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir chicken broth, lemon juice, oregano, basil, and garlic into butter. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-low; cook until thickened to your desired texture, 5 to 7 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Season sauce with salt and pepper. Stir cooked pasta into butter sauce to coat. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Notes

For an elevated flavor profile, consider using fresh herbs like finely chopped parsley or basil instead of dried, adding them at the very end to preserve their vibrancy. A squeeze of fresh lemon zest alongside the juice will brighten the dish considerably. If the sauce becomes too thick, a splash of reserved pasta water can help achieve the perfect consistency. Always taste and adjust seasoning, especially salt and pepper, right before serving. This dish is highly adaptable; consider sautéing shrimp or thinly sliced chicken with a little garlic and adding them at the end, or incorporating blanched asparagus tips for color and crunch.