This creamy parmesan lemon caper pasta only needs 5 ingredients to make the sauce, and 15 minutes to make! Packed with tangy, crispy capers, zesty garlic, and the heat of red pepper flakes, this sauce is packed with flavor with such few ingredients that you probably already have on hand in your pantry. This easy lemon caper pasta makes for a quick and easy lunch, and is the perfect meal for one!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Fresh, bright flavors: Even though this pasta is in a cream-based sauce, the freshness and acid from lemon and briny capers make this creamy lemon caper sauce feel light and bright. The flavors are very similar to Chicken Piccata, an Italian classic.
- A quick meal for one: This recipe is perfectly portioned for one serving of pasta, for days when you only need to feed yourself. If you're cooking for more, this recipe is also straightforward to scale up! This will easily become one of your favorite pasta dishes because of its simplicity.
- Short ingredient list: With only a handful of ingredients and no chopping required, this simple sauce requires minimal prep work. The best part about this short ingredient list is that you probably already have everything you need in your pantry and fridge, making this a true pantry pasta!
Ingredient Notes
- Parmesan cheese: I always recommend using freshly grated parmesan cheese for the best flavor in the sauce. I recommend looking for a smaller wedge of parmesan to use, as they are less expensive. The refrigerated pre-grated parmesan will also work in this recipe. Avoid using the shelf-stable canned cheese for this pasta.
- Capers: Capers have a briny, salty flavor to them, which gives this creamy lemon caper pasta recipe so much flavor. You will want to use capers that are packed in brine instead of capers packed in salt. Drain the capers from the brine before adding them to the sauce. If using salt-packed capers, you may want to rinse them to control the salt in the sauce.
- Fresh lemon: Fresh lemon is essential in this sauce. Since you will be using so few ingredients, the difference between bottled and fresh lemon juice will be noticeable. Fresh lemon has a more bright flavor, whereas bottled juice is flat in flavor. Fresh lemon Is also a two-for-one ingredient, with both the lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Heavy cream: Heavy cream is sometimes labeled as whipping cream, and has a fat content of 35%. The high-fat content in the cream will help thicken the sauce along with the grated parmesan cheese. Lower-fat cream or milk will not give you the same silky, creamy texture.
A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.
Substitutions
- Spaghetti: Any kind of long thin pasta will work in place of spaghetti. Pasta like bucatini or angel hair have similar cooking times. If you prefer a shorter type of pasta like penne, fusilli, or even stuffed pasta like cheese ravioli or tortellini, you can swap them into this caper sauce.
- Capers: If you are not a fan of capers, or simply do not have them on hand, you can leave them out. You will still have a delicious, creamy lemon parmesan sauce.
- Red chili flakes: Substitute freshly cracked black pepper in place of red chili flakes.
- Heavy cream: You can use creme fraiche, sour cream, or even Greek yogurt in place of heavy cream.
Variations
- Wine: Start the sauce off with dry white wine, like Sauvignon Blanc, for a fancy twist. Avoid using an overly sweet wine, and make sure it is something you would enjoy drinking.
- Seafood: Serve this creamy caper pasta with pan-seared succulent sweet scallops, shrimp, or salmon to add some protein to this pasta.
- Butter: If you do not want a cream-based sauce, you can make this recipe with melted butter, capers, and lemon for a lighter version. The creaminess is entirely up to personal preference.
- Crunch: Lightly toast panko breadcrumbs in a mix of butter and olive oil, and sprinkle on top of the finished pasta dish. This will add an extra element of texture to the dish.
- Fresh herbs: Add fresh parsley or basil to the pasta for an extra layer of brightness and freshness.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep Work Before Cooking
Collecting all ingredients: This will make cooking so much easier. Gather all the spices you will need, and keep them nearby.
Boil water: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously once the water is boiling.
Boil the spaghetti to package instructions until al dente, which means it is cooked through with a slight bite to it. Reserve a ¼ cup of pasta water, and drain the pasta. Set the cooked spaghetti aside.
While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the drained capers to the skillet, and let them crisp up until lightly golden brown. Toss the capers occasionally to prevent burning. Remove the crisp capers, and drain on a paper towel. [photo 1]
To the same hot pan, add the minced cloves of garlic and chili flakes. Sauté until the garlic has lightly softened, but is not browned. [photo 2]
Add the heavy cream and lemon juice to the skillet. Let the heavy cream cook down for 1-2 minutes. Top with the cooked pasta, pasta water, and parmesan, and toss. Let the mixture cook together for another 2 minutes, to allow the sauce to thicken and cling to the pasta. [photo 3]
Top the pasta with crispy capers, and serve. [photo 4]
Expert Tips
Be mindful of extra salt: You will likely not need to add any extra salt to this pasta. The pasta water will be salted, along with capers and parmesan which are all naturally salty.
Do not burn the garlic: When garlic gets too brown, it becomes bitter and overpowering. To avoid this, I recommend slightly lowering the heat when cooking the garlic and keeping a close eye on it.
Give the pasta time to thicken: You may find that the creamy sauce looks like it is on the thinner side. As the sauce cooks with the pasta and parmesan, it will thicken up with the starch and fat from both.
Prevent a curdled sauce: Cream sauces can curdle if the heat is too high. Keep the heat low when adding the parmesan cheese to the cream, and stir the lemon juice and cream consistently to prevent curdling.
Make Ahead & Storage
- This pasta is best enjoyed fresh because cream sauces do not reheat as nicely as tomato-based sauces.
- If you do have leftovers, let the pasta cool to room temperature and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Reheat leftover pasta on the stove and add a touch of heavy cream or even chicken broth to loosen the sauce if needed.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve this pasta as a main dish with a side of homemade ciabatta garlic bread, or cheesy garlic toast for extra richness.
- This pasta works as a side dish to your favorite mains, like stovetop bruschetta chicken, chicken romano, or grilled lemon garlic chicken.
- Serve with a side salad like a fresh Greek salad or even a classic wedge salad.
Recipe FAQs
Capers are actually a bud from a plant. They do not have the same vibrant taste when they are fresh, but when they are pickled they have a bright, salty and briny flavor.
Yes - jarred sauce will work in a pinch. You can crisp the capers, and jazz up the store-bought sauce with garlic, lemon and the capers.
Your sauce is likely runny because you did not give the cream time to thicken with the pasta and cheese. Be sure to allow the cream to cook down, and allow the pasta to cook with the cream sauce too.
Looking for more fast pasta dinners? Browse my full list of quick weeknight meals, including easy pasta dishes that are perfect for busy nights.
More Pasta Recipes
Easy Creamy Lemon Caper Pasta (Without Wine)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 oz Spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon Capers - packed in brine, drained
- ¼ teaspoon Red chilli flakes
- 3 cloves Garlic - finely minced
- ½ Lemon - juiced
- ¼ cup Heavy cream
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese - grated
Instructions
- Boil the spaghetti to package instructions until al dente, which means it is cooked through with a slight bite to it. Reserve a ¼ cup of pasta water, and drain the pasta. Set the cooked spaghetti aside.2 oz Spaghetti
- While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the drained capers to the skillet, and let them crisp up until lightly golden brown. Toss the capers occasionally to prevent burning. Remove the crisp capers, and drain on a paper towel.1 tablespoon Capers
- To the same hot pan, add the minced cloves of garlic and chili flakes. Sauté until the garlic has lightly softened, but is not browned.3 cloves Garlic, ¼ teaspoon Red chilli flakes
- Add the heavy cream and lemon juice to the skillet. Let the heavy cream cook down for 1-2 minutes. Top with the cooked pasta, pasta water, and parmesan, and toss. Let the mixture cook together for another 2 minutes, to allow the sauce to thicken and cling to the pasta.½ Lemon, ¼ cup Heavy cream, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- Top the pasta with crispy capers, and serve.
✱Recipe Notes
- Be mindful of extra salt: You will likely not need to add any extra salt to this pasta. The pasta water will be salted, along with capers and parmesan which are all naturally salty.
- Do not burn the garlic: When garlic gets too brown, it becomes bitter and overpowering. To avoid this, I recommend slightly lowering the heat when cooking the garlic and keeping a close eye on it.
- Give the pasta time to thicken: You may find that the creamy sauce looks like it is on the thinner side. As the sauce cooks with the pasta and parmesan, it will thicken up with the starch and fat from both.
- Prevent a curdled sauce: Cream sauces can curdle if the heat is too high. Keep the heat low when adding the parmesan cheese to the cream, and stir the lemon juice and cream consistently to prevent curdling.
Gillian says
Thanks so much for including a single serving. Planning to make it tonight, and will pump up the vegs by adding sautéed mushrooms and broccoli rabe.
Sunena Anand says
I hope you love it, Gillian! Great idea to add in some veggies - that sounds delicious!
Ray Griffith says
Very good. However, heavy cream is not at all necessary. One can get plenty of richness from the Parmigiano Reggiano, butter and pasta water. Also, salt packed capers are much better than jarred.