Creamy Pangrattato Pasta

Creamy Lemon Pasta with Pecorino Pangrattato

Sometimes we are lucky enough in the UK to find the most beautiful, bright and fragrant lemons from Italy, Spain and Portugal. When you have lemons this good, you don't need to do anything complicated with them — you just need a recipe that lets them shine.

This creamy lemon pasta is exactly that. It's bright, fresh, creamy and comforting, with plenty of lemon, salty Pecorino Romano and a crispy homemade garlic and lemon pangrattato for texture.

The sauce is made with cream cheese, Pecorino, fresh lemon juice and zest, creating an incredibly simple lemon cream sauce that clings beautifully to the pasta. The pangrattato takes this easy pasta recipe to another level, adding a deliciously crunchy, garlicky topping.

It's a brilliant quick and easy pasta recipe for weeknight dinners, but it's also lovely enough to serve when you're cooking for friends and family.

Serves 4

For the Lemon & Pecorino Pangrattato

• 200g fresh breadcrumbs

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 large cloves garlic, grated

• Zest of ½ lemon

• ½ tsp chilli flakes

• 3 tbsp Pecorino Romano, finely grated

• 1 tbsp parsley, finely diced

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Creamy Lemon Pasta

• 350g pasta of your choice — flat or long pasta works particularly well

• 150g cream cheese

• 1 finely diced shallot

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 clove garlic, grated

• 2 tbsp finely diced fresh parsley

• 3 tbsp finely grated Pecorino Romano

• Zest of ½ lemon

• Fresh lemon juice, to taste

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

How to Make Creamy Lemon Pasta

Make the Pangrattato

Start by making the crispy pangrattato.

Add the olive oil to a large frying pan over medium heat and add the fresh breadcrumbs. Stir regularly and cook until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and crisp.

Add the grated garlic, lemon zest and chilli flakes and continue stirring for another minute or so, being careful not to let the garlic burn.

Turn off the heat and transfer the breadcrumbs to a bowl. Stir through the grated Pecorino Romano and chopped parsley, then season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Set aside while you make the pasta.

Make the Lemon Pasta Sauce

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to the boil.

Meanwhile, add the olive oil to the same pan you used to make the pangrattato. Keeping the heat low, add the finely diced shallot and cook gently until softened.

Add your pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the packet instructions until al dente.

Add the grated garlic to the softened shallot and cook for around 30 seconds.

Turn the heat down low and add a splash of the pasta cooking water to the pan. Add the cream cheese, grated Pecorino Romano, parsley and lemon zest.

Squeeze in some fresh lemon juice and stir everything together until the cream cheese and Pecorino have melted into a smooth, creamy sauce.

Bring Everything Together

Use a slotted spoon or pasta fork to transfer the cooked pasta directly into the pan with the creamy lemon sauce.

Toss everything together, adding a little more pasta water as needed until you have a silky sauce that coats the pasta beautifully.

Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more lemon juice, salt or black pepper as needed.

Serve immediately with plenty of the crispy lemon and garlic pangrattato scattered over the top, plus extra Pecorino Romano if you like.

Seasonal Variations

One of my favourite things about this creamy lemon pasta is how easy it is to adapt throughout the year.

Spring: Stir through fresh asparagus and peas. Simply blanch them in the pasta water during the final 3–4 minutes of cooking.

Summer: Fry some diced courgette or summer squash and stir it through the finished pasta. Baby spinach works beautifully too, and I love finishing it with fresh rocket.

Spring or summer: Serve the creamy lemon pasta alongside beautifully seared sea bass fillets for a fresh and elegant dinner.

Winter: Add chopped frozen spinach and peas to the sauce and serve with grilled or roasted chicken for a comforting winter pasta dinner.

Tips for the Best Creamy Lemon Pasta

Save your pasta water. The starchy cooking water is essential for creating a smooth, silky sauce and helping the cream cheese and Pecorino coat the pasta.

Use fresh lemons. Fresh lemon zest and juice make a huge difference in this recipe, particularly when lemons are in season.

Don't skip the pangrattato. The creamy pasta is delicious on its own, but the crispy garlic, lemon and Pecorino breadcrumbs add an irresistible crunch and extra flavour.

Use a long or flat pasta. Linguine, spaghetti, tagliatelle or fettuccine are particularly good choices because they hold onto the creamy lemon sauce beautifully.

This is one of those easy lemon pasta recipes that feels much more special than the effort involved. It's creamy without being heavy, fresh without being sharp, and the crispy Pecorino pangrattato makes every bite a little bit more delicious.