The BEST Creamy Baked Lemon Noodles Recipe
This Creamy Baked Lemon Noodles recipe is an easy, delicious comfort food side dish that everyone in your family will love.
Creamy Baked Lemon Noodles
If you’re looking for more recipes that feature lemon as the star ingredient, How to Make Lemon Bars and Homemade Lemon Ice are two desserts to try.
Why you’ll love this recipe
This tasty recipe combines the zesty freshness of lemon with the indulgent creaminess of a rich sauce, making it the perfect choice for a cozy side dish for chicken or fish.
When I worked at a hotel, our catering department had an emergency, and I was called to help. The side dish for the catering event was ruined, and they didn’t have the ingredients on hand to duplicate the recipe.
I whipped up this recipe for creamy baked lemon noodles for 25 people instead. The group met at our hotel once a month and they demanded this creamy pasta be added to the rotating menu.
This simple lemon pasta recipe with a handful of ingredients makes a great addition for a special occasion meal or an easy dinner night.
What you’ll need
- Penne Pasta – I used penne pasta, but you can substitute other pastas for penne.
- Butter – the recipe calls for salted butter, but you can use unsalted butter if you’re watching your sodium intake.
- Sour Cream – for giving the sauce its creaminess.
- Lemon – use fresh lemons for best results. You’ll also need grated lemon peel in this recipe.
- Parmesan Cheese – adds a rich and savory depth of flavor to pasta dishes.
- Parsley – gives the pasta a vibrant burst of freshness and elevates the presentation with bright green color. I use flat-leaf parsley.
Creating a Cozy Life
Since you found this recipe on making lemon noodles, I’m guessing you like all things cozy living. I created a Facebook group called Creating a Cozy Life with over 194,000 like-minded souls.
It’s a group where we share recipes, pictures of things that leave you in awe, and ideas on how to make your life just a little bit more snug. Join here to be part of the virtual cozy cabin.
Susan Branch Cookbooks
I found this yummy recipe in a Susan Branch cookbook. You’re in for a treat if you don’t know who Susan Branch is.
I stumbled upon Susan Branch many moons ago, and I’m so glad I did.
All her cookbooks are delightfully illustrated, and the writing isn’t a font; it’s her handwriting.
Susan grew up in California, got married, and had the postcard-perfect life – until it wasn’t. After her divorce, she moved to Martha’s Vineyard for a couple of months to change her perspective.
While on her way with a realtor to look at a house for rent, they stopped at a house the realtor was going to put up for sale. On impulse, Susan Branch bought that house.
Don’t you love that? Everyone she knew lived across the country, and she decided to take a chance on a new lease on life.
It was in this house that she started making her cookbooks. If you would like to hear more about her story, she has a trio of memoirs that are absolutely amazing.
I did a book review of Martha’s Vineyard – Isle of Dreams. You can find that book review here. I even give you a peek inside the book!
Every cookbook is so special that I would have a hard time picking which one is my favorite.
Don’t you love a kitchen full of cookbooks? There’s something so magical about feeding your family in a kitchen that hums with energy.
By now, you’ve realized I’m a super-fan of Susan Branch. Trust me, you will be too!
Simple Ingredients
1 pound penne pasta
1/4 pound butter
1 pint of sour cream
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
Parmesan cheese, to taste
1/4 cup minced parsley
freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions to al dente in a large pot of salted water.
3. Drain noodles, and place cooked pasta in a baking dish.
4. In a small saucepan, melt butter and then stir in sour cream, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest over medium heat.
5. Pour butter mixture over the hot pasta and toss. Sprinkle on the desired amount of parmesan cheese.
6. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
7. Remove from oven. Sprinkle on minced parsley and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
8. Toss pasta and serve immediately.
Tips
- You can substitute any pasta for the penne pasta. The original recipe called for spaghetti.
- Greek yogurt can be used instead of sour cream for a healthier version.
- To make a cute garnish, take a slice of lemon and make a slit in the middle 3/4 the way up. Twist the lemon and put it on top of your dish before serving.
- I used a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish, and it fit perfectly.
- You can add minced fresh garlic to make this creamy lemon garlic pasta.
- Add red pepper flakes for a little kick to this recipe.
- You can top the creamy lemon sauce pasta with fresh basil, chives, or green onions instead of parsley.
- Serve the lemon noodles with homemade garlic bread.
- To make this pasta a main dish, add cooked chicken to the mixture before cooking.
Storage
When properly stored in an airtight container, Creamy Baked Lemon Noodles will last 3-4 days in the fridge. To reheat pasta, add a little bit of heavy cream.
This easy lemon pasta recipe has dairy and freezing is not recommended. When you thaw dairy, it will take on a grainy texture.
We’ve reached the end of Creamy Baked Lemon Noodles. I hope you enjoyed it!
Let me know in the comments below if you tried penne pasta with lemon cream sauce and what you thought. It’s an easy weeknight dinner recipe with simple ingredients the whole family will love.
Be sure to join our Creating a Cozy Life Group. You’re not going to believe how amazing it is.
Please let me know in the comments below if you tried Creamy Baked Lemon Noodles and how you liked it.
I created a pin for this easy pasta recipe below to add to your Pinterest food board.
You can follow me here on PINTEREST. Thanks for stopping by! I’m so happy you found us.
More Delicious Lemon Recipes
More Pasta Recipes to Try
- Perfect Penne Pesto Pasta
- Easy Mushroom Stroganoff
- Balsamic Chicken Gorgonzola Pasta
- Yummy Macaroni Salad with Tuna
- Cheese Ravioli with Pink Sauce
- Amazing Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce
Printable Recipe Card for Creamy Baked Lemon Pasta with Nutritional Information
Creamy Baked Lemon Noodles
These creamy baked lemon noodles are one of those recipes that will have you craving them all the time. Sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and parmesan cheese make these noodles the perfect side dish.
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 1/4 pound butter
- 1 pint of sour cream
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
- Parmesan cheese, to taste
- 1/4 cup minced parsley
- Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
- Drain noodles, and place in a baking dish.
- In a small saucepan, melt butter and then stir in sour cream, lemon juice, and lemon peel.
- Pour butter mixture over pasta and toss.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven. Sprinkle on Parmesan cheese, minced parsley, and freshly ground pepper to taste.
- Toss pasta and serve immediately.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 301Total Fat 22gSaturated Fat 13gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 62mgSodium 121mgCarbohydrates 21gFiber 1gSugar 2gProtein 5g
