Creamy Dill Pasta (Printable)

Velvety pasta with fresh dill, lemon zest, and a luscious cream sauce for a light meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz dried pasta (fettuccine, linguine, or penne)

→ Sauce

02 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - Zest of 1 lemon
05 - ¾ cup plus 1 tbsp heavy cream
06 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
07 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
08 - 1 tsp salt, plus additional for pasta water
09 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1½ oz grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 3 tbsp chopped fresh dill, plus extra for garnish

→ Optional Additions

12 - 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
13 - 5 oz smoked salmon, flaked (omit for vegetarian)

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and lemon zest; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in heavy cream, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened.
04 - Incorporate Parmesan cheese, salt, and black pepper. Stir until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes smooth.
05 - Add drained pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat evenly, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky texture.
06 - Stir in chopped dill and peas if using. Toss until well combined and heated through.
07 - Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately, garnished with extra dill and smoked salmon if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 25 minutes flat, which means weeknight dinner without the stress.
  • The lemon and dill combination tastes elegant but requires zero fancy technique.
  • Cream and Parmesan do the heavy lifting, making something that feels indulgent but stays bright and refreshing.
02 -
  • Fresh dill oxidizes quickly once chopped, so add it at the very last moment rather than stirring it in too early or it loses its bright color and punch.
  • The reserved pasta water is your secret weapon for adjusting sauce consistency—a splash at a time lets you go from thick and clinging to silky and flowing without breaking the emulsion.
03 -
  • Keep the heat at medium or medium-low throughout—a hard boil will break the sauce and leave you with greasy, broken cream instead of that silky emulsion you're after.
  • If you're cooking for someone with a dairy allergy, cashew cream whisked with vegetable broth mimics heavy cream's richness while staying plant-based, though you'll want to use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan for the umami depth.
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