Who doesn’t love a good pasta dish? The options are quite possibly endless. For me, the simpler the better. I tend to lean towards pasta with fresh ingredients and light sauces. This summer I went through a mini lemony tagliatelle phase (I blame a video I saw on Instagram).

Summer may be over, but that doesn’t mean it is time to move onto heartier sauces. This recipe will give you the base for this lemony tagliatelle. From there you can go crazy and get creative with variations. However, I am going to help you out. Read on for 3 ways I prepared this simple citrus pasta dish.

Version 1: Kale & Cherry Tomatoes

Lacinato kale (aka Tuscan kale aka dinosaur kale) and cherry tomatoes add a little texture and brightness to the pasta. Prior to cooking, cut about a cup of tomatoes in half. Remove the stems from a a bunch of kale and chop into bite sized pieces. You are free to use less if you aren’t a huge kale fan. Add the cut tomatoes to the pan after the garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook until lightly blistered then add the kale. The goal is to not overcook the kale so cook until just wilted but still has a little bite. Proceed with the recipe as directed.

Version 2: Green Beans & Chanterelles

I used chanterelles because my lovely neighbors shared their foraged goods with me. I think sliced criminis would work well as a substitute. Similar to Version 1, you want to add your sliced or chopped mushrooms after the garlic. From there quickly toss in sliced blanched green beans before adding the pasta. The blanched green beans offer a lovely crisp texture and the mushrooms an earthy flavor. Serve as directed and garnish with chopped parsley.

Version 3: Scallops, Bacon & Rainbow Chard

This final version starts with cooking bite-sized pieces of bacon then proceeding to cook the garlic and crushed red peppers in the bacon fat with a reduced amount of olive oil. The chopped rainbow chard is tossed in and cooked prior to adding the pasta.

Seared jumbo scallops are quick to cook and complement the pasta well. The scallops can be cooked while the pasta boils. They are fine to rest as the pasta ingredients come together. Serve as directed topping each serving with 3-4 scallops.

Whatever you decide to do with this lemony pasta, just remember to have fun with it!

If you make this recipe, leave a comment below and post on Instagram. Make sure to tag @blasianbonvivant and use hashtag #bbvrecipe.

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Lemony Tagliatelle

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Course: Main Course, Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Keywords: pasta, Vegetarian

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 12 oz tagliatelle
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves sliced
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 large lemons juice and zest
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano grated
• salt and freshly cracked pepper

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook tagliatelle until al dente, approximately 3 minutes less than package instructions.
• While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant. Add the lemon juice, zest and approximately 1/4 cup of the pasta water.
• Transfer the pasta to the saute pan. Add the butter then toss to coat the pasta. Continue cooking until the sauce is thickened, approximately 3 minutes more. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Remove pan from heat and stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano while tossing constantly.
• Divide among 4 bowls or plates.