When I don’t have much time to get dinner on the table pasta is a go to. You can throw a really great dish together in no time and with very few ingredients. This Lemon & Brussel Sprout Linguini is bright, simple and so tasty. A simple salad along side and dinner is on the table in under 20 minutes.
The weather has been so weird here in NJ. We had nights in August in the 60’s and just yesterday there was a high of 90. My cooking is definitely swayed by the weather. On these warmer days I’m craving lighter and brighter and this Lemon & Brussel Sprout Linguini really hits the spot. The fact that its so simple to make is really great too!
A flavorful dish does not require hours or tons of complicated ingredients for that matter. For this pasta dish all you need is linguini, brussel sprouts, garlic, good parmigiano cheese, lemon zest, olive oil, butter, salt and pepper. I happen to be a big fan of sprouts and when sliced thinly they cook up quickly and add a great flavor to the dish. The salty cheese and brightness of lemon zest really are fantastic! A good amount of black pepper reminds me of cacio e pepe- a simple Italian dish of pasta with a healthy helping of pepper and cheese.
The other great thing about this dish- besides the boiling of the pasta, the rest of the dish comes together in one pan. When cooking pasta I always like to let the pasta cook its last couple minutes right in the sauce. It allows it to really coat the pasta so nicely. In this dish I use the starchy salted pasta water to bring it all together.
I like to get my pot of water boiling as I prep everything. I start by heating a bit sauté pan over medium heat. A few drizzles of olive oil, the sliced sprouts and garlic go in and cook until the sprouts are tender. Have the pasta cook to a couple minutes shy of al dente then add it right into the pan along with the lemon zest, parmigiano cheese, black pepper and salt. Add in pasta cooking water and toss to coat. Allow to cook just a minute or 2 and you’re done! At the very end I added in some butter to add just a little extra wonderfulness! SO GOOD!
- 9 oz package brussel sprouts
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1½ cups freshly grated parmigiano cheese
- zest of 1 large lemon
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 lb linguini
- 1 to 1½ cups reserved pasta water
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- salt to taste
- Get a large pot of water up to a boil. While waiting on the water get everything else started. Be sure to salt the water well once its reached a boil. Cook the pasta a couple minutes shy of al dente.
- Cut the stem end of the sprout off and remove any bruised leaves. Slice the brussel sprouts.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add in the olive oil, brussel sprouts and garlic.
- Add in the al dente linguini, cheese, lemon zest, black pepper and pasta water. Toss to coat. Allow to cook for a couple minutes. Add in butter, give a toss then taste for salt seasoning.
Gill Ricotta
I was going to make a few of your pasta recipes, but they don’t say how many servings. Are they typically for 4 or 6?
Angela LeMoine
Apologies for the late response, I am just seeing it. So for a lb of pasta in my house it is enough for 4 adults.