Brown Butter Lemon Spaghetti

Spaghetti tossed with nutty brown butter, fresh lemon zest, Parmesan, and black pepper for a bright 20-minute pasta dinner.

Prep: 5 min · Cook: 15 min · Yield: 2 · Method: Stovetop

Ingredients

• 8 oz Spaghetti
• 3 tbsp Butter
• 1 each Lemon
• 0.5 cup Parmesan
• 0.5 tsp Black pepper
• 1 tbsp Salt

Cooking instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt, and cook the spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining. (about 10 min)
2. In a wide skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking until the butter foams, turns golden brown, and smells nutty, being careful not to burn the milk solids. (about 3 min)
3. Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the zest of the lemon and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
4. Add the drained spaghetti and the grated Parmesan cheese to the skillet. Toss vigorously, adding the reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time, until the cheese melts into the butter to form a smooth, emulsified sauce that coats the noodles. (about 2 min)
5. Season with freshly cracked black pepper and serve immediately.