Creamy Dill Pasta (Printable Version)

Velvety pasta featuring fresh dill, lemon zest, and creamy sauce for a light, refreshing dish.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz dried pasta (fettuccine, linguine, or penne)
02 - Salt for pasta water

→ Sauce

03 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - Zest of 1 lemon
06 - ¾ cup plus 1 tbsp heavy cream
07 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
08 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
09 - 1 tsp salt
10 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
11 - 1½ oz grated Parmesan cheese
12 - 3 tbsp chopped fresh dill

→ Optional Additions

13 - 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
14 - 5 oz smoked salmon, flaked (omit for vegetarian)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water and drain.
02 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and lemon zest, sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in heavy cream, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened.
04 - Add Parmesan, salt, and black pepper. Stir until cheese melts and sauce is smooth.
05 - Add drained pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat evenly, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky texture.
06 - Stir in chopped dill and peas if using. Toss until well combined and warmed through.
07 - Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with extra dill and smoked salmon if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under thirty minutes, which means weeknight dinner without the guilt of ordering in.
  • The cream sauce is genuinely silky—not heavy or one-dimensional like you'd expect from something this easy.
  • Fresh dill gives it a brightness that makes you feel healthy even though butter and cream are absolutely involved.
02 -
  • Don't drain all your pasta water—that starchy liquid is what transforms a thick sauce into something silky and elegant that actually coats the noodles instead of sitting separately on the bottom.
  • Add the dill at the very end; if you cook it for more than a minute, it loses that bright, fresh flavor and starts tasting like old grass clippings.
  • The sauce will thicken as it cools, so if it looks slightly looser than you want when you plate it, you're actually at the perfect point.
03 -
  • Warm your serving bowls by running them under hot water right before plating—this keeps the sauce moving and glossy instead of stiffening up.
  • If you're worried about the sauce breaking, keep the heat on low and add pasta water in very small increments until you hit that perfect glossy consistency.
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