Lemon Garlic Parmesan Pasta Recipe {EASY} - Savory Simple (2024)

FAQs

How do you make simple pasta taste better? ›

Fresh or dried herbs will also add flavor to pasta dishes.

"I use a lot of parsley, either fresh or even dried," Montillo said. "Oregano, garlic powder, onion flakes, black pepper all work well in a variety of sauces."

Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water then drain pasta and return it to the pot. 3Add parmesan, butter, a 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water to the noodles. Set the pot over low heat. Use tongs to toss the noodles, butter, and cheese around the pan for one minute.

Cheese is an excellent way to add flavor to your pasta without having to rely on sauce. Try mixing your angel hair pasta with goat cheese, and toss in sun-dried tomatoes to make an amazing meal with just a few ingredients. Garlic butter is a terrific way to season all types of noodles.

A jarred sauce can sometimes lean a bit acidic, so the way to balance that is with richness. A glug of a good quality extra virgin olive oil, a splash of cream or half and half, a dollop of ricotta or mascarpone, or even a few pats of butter stirred in can smooth those rough edges.

Maybe it needs a touch of salt, red pepper flakes, or some fresh garlic to liven it up. You could add dried or fresh herbs too: oregano, basil, thyme, tarragon, parsley—they're all great! Want to go next level? Toss in some chopped anchovies (or anchovy salt), olives, or some lemon zest and/or juice.

Warm a few garlic slices and cherry tomatoes in a bit of olive oil, and stir until the tomatoes burst. Add canned tuna (packed in oil) and stir to break up the tuna chunks. Add cooked penne pasta, chopped olives, and a handful of basil leaves. So flavorful!

It may sound a little unusual to add cream cheese to a pasta recipe, but it adds a tangy note and rich creaminess to the sauce. You can also add extra seasonings and other ingredients to the base recipe to fit your personal taste.

Garnish your pasta with a grating of lemon zest, some crunchy breadcrumbs or even a crumble of crispy bacon to add texture and taste. Herb it up. Experiment with lots of fresh herbs in your pasta dishes.

What does adding butter to tomato sauce do? ›

Add butter

Yes, that's right. Toss in a few tablespoons of butter, and let it melt into the sauce. If you've never tried it before, it might seem strange, but a little butter makes tomato sauce rich and smooth, and also balances out too much acidity, which is common in jarred sauces.

You see, in Italy, Parmesan cheese is reserved for pasta dishes with tomato-based sauces, cream sauces, and meat-based dishes. Adding Parmesan cheese to a seafood-based dish, like spaghetti with clams, is a big no-no. It's like adding ketchup to a steak or pineapple on a pizza – it just doesn't belong!

Why won't my cheese melt? There are many reasons, but the biggest is the moisture content. The moisture content of the cheese has a great effect on the melting process. Cheese that contains higher amounts of fat will melt better than one that doesn't.

BelGioioso Freshly Shredded Parmesan

BelGioioso makes the best shredded parmesan cheese if you really like a thin, dainty shred—something that's going to melt the second it hits a hot bowl of sauced rigatoni.

The simplest thing is to finish cooking the pasta in the sauce. Don't just cook to al dente and slap some sauce on top. Season the pasta well by generously salting the water. Cook the pasta just under al dente and mix with the sauce along with a spoonful of the water used to boil the pasta.

Adding in some cooked garlic, onions and herbs will add great flavors to your basic spaghetti recipe. A pinch of red pepper flakes and a splash red wine or pomegranate will help deepen the flavors.

A little salt in the pasta water can go a long way, adding flavor to your final dish.