Baked Lemon Pasta Recipe

"The flavors of this recipe scream spring and summer to me, but I will eat it any time of year! I have found this on the Pioneer Woman's site, and made it several times over the years. Try to use freshly grated Parmesan - it adds the best flavor. The parsley, Parmesan cheese, and final amount of lemon juice are estimates as the original recipe never gave quantities - feel free to adjust those ingredients to your taste. (More cheese, please!) This is fantastic paired with a salad."

Step by Step Method

Step 1

Start by preheating your oven to 375°F. Also, now is the time to cook your spaghetti until al dente, and drain.

Step 2

Zest and juice the lemon and set aside. You'll need the zest and juice in a minute.

Step 3

In a skillet over low heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. After the butter is melted, add in the minced garlic. Pour in the juice from the lemon, stir, and turn off the heat. Stir in the sour cream. Add in the lemon zest and salt. Give it a taste to check to see if you need to add any more salt. Pour the sour cream mixture over the drained spaghetti and stir it all together, coating all over your pasta. Pour the coated pasta in an oven safe dish - I use a 8" inch square dish.

Step 4

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 7 - 10 minutes. Just don't bake it too long or the dish will start to dry out.

Step 5

Remove the dish from the oven. Sprinkle your additional lemon juice (1 tablespoon is about half of a lemon) over the pasta. Add your Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley to your liking.