Bucatini al limone is a twist on spaghetti al limone, a traditional Italian pasta dish known for its lemony cream sauce. Bucatini’s hollow center allows it to be filled with sauce, infusing the flavor into every bite! Pair this dish with charred broccolini for a slightly smoky flavor that brings this whole dish together. It tastes like a trip to Southern Italy!
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If you’ve never heard of pasta al limone, today is your lucky day! This simple recipe is an Italian favorite made by infusing lemon zest, peel, and juice in a simple, buttery cream sauce, then coating the whole thing with lots of Parmesan cheese. The bright lemon flavor keeps the sauce from becoming too rich or heavy, making it light enough to serve as a main or side dish.
I like to pair it with charred broccolini, which adds a smoky bitterness that complements the dish perfectly. It’s a simple, family-friendly meal that is gourmet enough to serve at any dinner party. You can’t go wrong!
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Ingredients
Dried pasta is a great pantry staple that can be transformed in countless ways. Although you can use any type of pasta for this recipe, bucatini is a special hollow noodle that pulls more of that silky sauce into every bite. It’s worth the effort to find this specific noodle!
For the charred broccolini
- Olive oil
- Broccolini
- Salt
- Freshly ground pepper
For the pasta al limone
- Lemons (for juice, zest, and peel)
- Dried bucatini pasta
- Unsalted butter
- Heavy cream
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
There are three steps here: char the broccolini, cook the pasta, and prepare the sauce. Each step is pretty simple, but be sure to read the full recipe card ahead to make sure you don’t miss a step!
Make Broccolini
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove the bottom 1 inch from the broccolini and trim off any excessive leaves. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the broccolini out onto the sheets. Drizzle with ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Roast for 25 minutes or until well charred turning once mid-way through cooking.
Make Pasta
Step 2: Bring a large pot two-thirds full of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until almost done but still very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the packaging instructions. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 ¼ cups of the pasta cooking water.
Step 3: While the pasta cooks, finely grate the zest of one of the lemons, then juice the lemon, reserving the zest and juice separately. Using a vegetable peeler, peel 4 wide strips of zest from the second lemon. Using a sharp knife, cut each strip into very thin slivers. Set aside, reserving the rest of the second lemon for another use.
Step 4: Next, make the sauce. Heat a large saute pan with high sides over medium heat. Melt the butter in pan. Add the pepper and cook, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, slowly pour in the cream and cook until the sauce is emulsified and the mixture begins to simmer, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the grated lemon zest and a generous pinch of salt.
Step 5: Add the pasta to the sauce and add ¾ cup of the reserved pasta water. Increase the heat to medium-high. Tossing the pasta constantly, slowly add the Parmesan, continuing to toss until the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the lemon juice. If needed, toss in more of the reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time to achieve a silky consistency.
Step 6: Gently fold in the cooked broccolini just before serving. Divide the pasta among pasta bowls. Sprinkle with the lemon zest slivers, more Parmesan and a few grinds of black pepper. Serve immediately.
Substitutions & Variations
- Add shrimp – You’ll need about 1 pound large shrimp (about 18 to 20 count), peeled and deveined with tails removed. While the pasta cooks, cook the shrimp. Pat the shrimp dry and season them with salt and black pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp to the skillet and spread into an even layer. Cook for about 90 seconds on each side, or until just cooked through. The shrimp is done when they just turn pink on both sides. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and set aside. Add in step 9.
- Add protein – This creamy lemon pasta recipe works wonderfully with proteins that pair well with lemon, like grilled chicken or salmon.
- Change the pasta – Instead of bucatini, try your favorite pasta. Any spaghetti, fettuccini, or even smaller pasta shapes, like rotini, rigatoni, or cavatappi work well.
- Use broccoli rabe – Broccolini has a mild, slightly sweet flavor, and if you want a more potent veggie, try rapini or broccoli rabe. It’s known for being very bitter, but mellows out when grilled, and the bitter flavor balances the creamy, lemony flavor of the sauce.
Equipment
To make this delicious recipe, you’ll need supplies for roasting, preparing the pasta, and making the sauce.
Storage
Store any leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. To reheat, microwave the leftovers until heated through, stirring every 1-2 minutes. Garnish with extra cheese.
Top Tip
For a silky smooth sauce, add some of the starchy pasta water to the pan with the sauce and let it thicken up.
FAQ about Bucatini al Limone
Yes! This lemony pasta recipe comes from Southern Italy along the Amalfi Coast, where Italians grow giant, aromatic lemons every year. This dish is popular during the summer months when the lemons are in season. Although creamy pasta sauces sound too heavy in the summer, the fresh lemon juice, zest, and peel keep it light and satisfying. It’s the perfect summer meal!
Although most recipes call for spaghetti, that’s just one option. You can really use any type of pasta. I highly recommend looking for bucatini, which will absorb more sauce than regular spaghetti.
Bucatini is an Italian pasta named after its distinguishing feature: a narrow hole running through the center. It is a long pasta, similar to spaghetti, but that opening allows extra sauce and flavor to infuse into the middle of the pasta. It’s an upgrade on traditional spaghetti and is incredible in this pasta al limone recipe.
Pairing
Bucatini al limone can be served on its own as a vegetarian option or with a side salad. For a more substantial meal, add grilled shrimp, chicken, or salmon for extra protein. My herby sheet pan chicken thighs pair nicely!
Print
Bucatini al limone with charred broccolini
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Bucatini al limone is a twist on spaghetti al limone, a traditional Italian pasta dish known for its lemony cream sauce.
Ingredients
Broccolini
¼ cup olive oil
2 bunches of broccolini
Kosher salt
2 lemons
Pasta
1 lb. dried bucatini8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more for serving
1 ¼ cups heavy cream at room temperature
2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Remove the bottom 1 inch from the broccolini and trim off any excessive leaves.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the broccolini out onto the sheets. Drizzle with ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Use your hands to make sure the oil, salt, and pepper are evenly distributed on the broccolini and roast for 25 minutes or until well charred, turning once mid-way through cooking.
- Remove the broccolini from the oven, and once cool enough to handle, give it a rough chop into 2-3 pieces and set aside.
- Bring a large pot two-thirds full of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until almost done but still very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the packaging instructions.
- While the pasta cooks, finely grate the zest of one of the lemons, then juice the lemon, reserving the zest and juice separately. Using a vegetable peeler, peel 4 wide strips of zest from the second lemon. Using a sharp knife, cut each strip into very thin slivers. Set aside, reserving the rest of the second lemon for another use.
- Next, make the sauce. Heat a large sauteuse pan with high sides over medium heat. Melt the butter in pan.. Add the pepper and cook, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, slowly pour in the cream and cook until the sauce is emulsified and the mixture begins to simmer, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the grated lemon zest and a generous pinch of salt.
- Drain the pasta, reserving 1 ¼ cups of the pasta cooking water.
- Add the pasta and cooked broccolini to the sauce and add ¾ cup of the reserved pasta water. Increase the heat to medium-high. Tossing the pasta constantly, slowly add the Parmesan, continuing to toss until the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth. (If you add all the Parmesan at once it will tend to clump.) Stir in the lemon juice. If needed, toss in more of the reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time to achieve a silky consistency. Taste and season with more salt if desired.
- Divide the pasta among pasta bowls. Sprinkle with the lemon zest slivers, more Parmesan and a few grinds of black pepper. Serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 45
- Category: Pasta
- Cuisine: Italian
I’ve never commented on a blog post before but I made this recipe and it was just too good not to!
I had a similar pasta to this in Italy. Although I can’t figure out how to make the original, this one is really good. Very lemony!
I loves this recipe! So easy to make but very impressive for my guests. I add some shrimp usually.
Awesome recipe! I added some shrimp for protein to make it a meal.