Creamy, Lemony Pasta

• servings: 4 servings
• total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

1 pound short curly pasta, such as cavatappi, fusilli or farfalle

1 large lemon, zested and juiced (about 1 tablespoon zest and 3 tablespoons juice)

A heaping ¾ cup grated Parmesan, plus more as needed

1/4 cup labneh or other thick, strained whole-milk yogurt, such as Greek or skyr, drained if necessary

2 scallions, green and white parts, sliced

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, adjust the heat to maintain a gentle boil, and cook until just shy of al dente, 2 to 3 minutes less than the package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta, then return to the pot on the stove over medium-low heat.

Stir in 3/4 cup of the pasta water and half the lemon juice. Add several grinds of black pepper, then gradually add the Parmesan, stirring vigorously between additions to prevent clumping, until a silky sauce has formed. Add a tablespoon of water at a time as needed to make a creamier sauce if it looks dry. Stir in the labneh, remaining lemon juice, lemon zest and scallions until creamy and combined, about 1 minute more. Season with salt as needed. Finish with another grind of pepper and serve immediately.

Nutrition

• Calories: 591
• Total Fat: 11 g
• Saturated Fat: 6 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Sodium: 471 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 90 g
• Dietary Fiber: 5 g
• Total Sugars: 5 g
• Protein: 30 g