Lemon Capellini with Herbs (Printable)

Delicate capellini in lemon butter sauce, accented with fresh parsley, basil, and chives for a light meal.

# What you'll need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz capellini (angel hair pasta)
02 - Salt, to season pasta water

→ Sauce

03 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - Zest of 2 lemons
05 - Juice of 2 lemons (approximately 4 tbsp)
06 - 1/4 cup reserved pasta cooking water
07 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
08 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Herbs and Garnish

09 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
10 - 2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
11 - 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
12 - Extra lemon zest, for garnish (optional)
13 - Extra Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

# Preparation steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add capellini and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until just al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta thoroughly.
02 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add lemon zest and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Pour in lemon juice and reserved pasta water. Stir well and allow to simmer gently for 1 minute.
04 - Add drained capellini to the skillet and toss gently to evenly coat the pasta with the lemon butter sauce.
05 - Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the pasta and season with freshly ground black pepper. Toss again until cheese melts and sauce becomes silky. Add additional pasta water if needed for desired creaminess.
06 - Remove skillet from heat and gently fold in parsley, basil, and chives until well combined.
07 - Plate immediately, garnishing with extra lemon zest, additional herbs, and Parmesan as preferred.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The lemon butter sauce clings to every strand of capellini creating a silky luxurious texture that feels restaurant quality
  • Fresh herbs transform simple ingredients into something vibrant and alive
  • Ready in twenty minutes flat making it perfect for weeknights or impromptu dinner guests
02 -
  • Capellini overcooks in seconds so check it a full minute before the package instructions suggest
  • The sauce will look thin at first but the starch from pasta water and Parmesan thickens it beautifully as you toss
  • Add the herbs only after removing the pan from heat or they will lose their bright flavor and turn dull
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients emulsify better so take the butter out of the fridge thirty minutes before cooking
  • Use a microplane for the zest it catches only the fragrant oils and leaves behind the bitter pith
  • Toss the pasta vigorously in the skillet the movement creates friction that helps the sauce cling to every strand
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