Basil Pasta with Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce

Step 1

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter, thinly sliced lemon, and minced fresh garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring a couple of times, until lemon slices brown and release juices and minced garlic is browned but not burned. Remove from heat and add 2 more tablespoons of butter. Stir until it melts. Remove lemon slices from the skillet.

Step 2

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook al dente according to package instructions. Drain pasta.

Step 3

Add hot, drained, and cooked pasta to the cast-iron skillet with butter and garlic. Stir everything well.

Step 4

Add 2 more tablespoons of butter and grated Parmesan cheese. Stir on low-medium heat for a couple of minutes to spread out the cheese among the pasta and melt it a bit. Remove from heat. Taste and season with salt.

Step 5

Add half of the fresh chopped basil to hot pasta and mix everything well.

Step 6

When ready to serve, top with the remaining half of fresh chopped basil, toasted pine nuts, and cracked black pepper.