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Food & Recipes

This 3-Ingredient ‘Lazy’ Lemon Linguine Recipe Is Tangy, Saucy Pasta Perfection

It comes together in 15 minutes!

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Weeknight dinner wouldn’t be possible without clever cooking hacks that save you precious time. After all, less time in the kitchen means more time to relax and enjoy the actual meal, which is especially important when it’s pasta night and you’re treating yourself to a tangy, saucy, decadent dish. In my experience, though, quick and easy pasta recipes (that also taste great) are not easy to find. Lots of pasta recipes claim they’re quick and easy, but when it’s time to make them, the ingredient list is a mile long. Not so with this three-ingredient lemon linguine. It’s about as simple as cooking can be — from fridge to fork in under 15 minutes — and it tastes incredible.

How To Make Lemon Linguine

Since there’s no time to waste when cooking dinner, let’s get right into the dish. This lemon linguine recipe, from a recent issue of our print magazine First for Women, uses Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs Gournay Cheese (Buy from Walmart, 5.26). When melted, the cheese transforms into a creamy, pungent sauce that gets a bit of zing from fresh lemon zest. This recipe only has three ingredients, so extra seasonings and herbs are welcome. When making this dish, I added cracked black pepper, Parmesan cheese, and chopped parsley. For a spicy kick, add a pinch of chili flakes. For a slight anise flavor, add fresh basil. For more protein, add sautéed shrimp or roasted chicken. Pasta (in all of its carby glory) is great any way you serve it. Alright… enough talking, time to cook.

Ingredients (Makes 3 to 4 servings):

  • 12 ounces dried linguine
  • 1 (5.2-ounce) package Boursin cheese
  • ½ teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • Salt
  • Optional: freshly cracked black pepper, grated Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley

Directions:

  1. In medium saucepan, bring salted water to boil. Add linguine and cook 7 to 9 minutes (or until al dente). Reserve ½ cup cooking liquid then drain pasta.
  2. In medium skillet, heat Boursin cheese over gentle heat; add ½ cup reserved pasta water and stir to reduce to thick and creamy sauce.
  3. Toss linguine in sauce with lemon zest, juice, and a couple grinds freshly cracked black pepper.
  4. Top with Parmesan cheese and parsley. Enjoy.
Lemon linguine plated
Alexandria Brooks

My Taste Test

At first bite, the sauce’s mild garlic, herbs, and citrus notes came through. This complemented the sharpness of the cracked black pepper. The generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese gave the pasta an extra salty. Will I make this lemon linguine recipe again? Absolutely! The sauce required very little effort to make but was super flavorful. Looks like my pasta night rotation is expanding thanks to this quick dish.

First For Women aims to feature only the best products and services. We update when possible, but deals expire and prices can change. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission. Questions? Reach us at shop@firstforwomen.com

First For Women aims to feature only the best products and services. We update when possible, but deals expire and prices can change. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission. Questions? Reach us at shop@firstforwomen.com

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