20 min
15-Minute Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta
Juicy shrimp and glossy lemon-garlic noodles with a restaurant-style sauce made from ingredients already in the kitchen.
Photo: Elena Leya / Unsplash · Unsplash License
30-Minute Dinners
Creamy Lemon-Parmesan Farfalle with Cherry Tomatoes & Basil
Silky lemon-Parmesan sauce clings to bow-tie pasta, with juicy cherry tomatoes and torn basil keeping this fast vegetarian dinner bright.
Directions
Start the farfalle
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season it generously with salt. Add the farfalle and cook until just shy of al dente, about 1 minute less than the package directs. Before draining, scoop out 1 1/2 cups of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta without rinsing it.
Warm the tomatoes without collapsing them
While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring once or twice, until their cut sides glisten and a few edges soften but most tomatoes still hold their shape. Transfer half the tomatoes to a clean plate for the fresh-looking finish.
Build the lemon cream base
Reduce the skillet heat to medium-low. Add the garlic to the tomatoes left in the pan and stir for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Pour in the cream, then stir in the lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, black pepper and optional red pepper flakes. Simmer gently for 2 minutes; do not let the cream boil hard.
Emulsify the sauce
Add the drained farfalle and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to the skillet. Toss over medium-low heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the Parmesan in three small additions and toss after each one until melted. Add the butter and another splash of pasta water as needed; the sauce should look glossy and slightly loose because it thickens as it stands.
Balance before adding the herbs
Taste the pasta and add the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice if it needs more brightness. Adjust salt and black pepper. Fold in the torn basil only after the pan is off the heat so the leaves stay fragrant and green.
Finish with visible tomatoes and basil
Divide the farfalle among four warm shallow bowls. Spoon the reserved cherry tomatoes over the top, then finish with small basil leaves and a light shower of Parmesan. Serve immediately while the sauce is fluid and glossy.
Why this works
Why it worksCooking the tomatoes briefly in two stages gives the sauce savory tomato juices while preserving bright, distinct halves for the finished plate.
Why it worksStarchy pasta water links the cream, olive oil and cheese into a smooth emulsion that clings to the ridges and pinched centers of farfalle.
Why it worksAdding finely grated Parmesan off the heat reduces the chance of a grainy or stringy sauce, while butter rounds out the lemon without requiring more cream.
Why it worksLemon zest perfumes the cream without thinning it; adding the juice near the end makes it easy to control acidity and keeps the dairy from curdling.
Useful kitchen gear
Tools that make this easier.
Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.
Paid links: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. You pay no additional cost.
Compare on AmazonPasta pot and colanderA roomy pot lets farfalle circulate, while fast draining preserves the starchy water needed to emulsify the cream sauce.See current options →
Compare on AmazonWide 12-inch skilletA broad skillet warms the tomatoes gently and gives the pasta room to toss through the sauce without crushing the bow ties.See current options →
Compare on AmazonFine zester and graterA fine tool removes fragrant lemon zest and produces Parmesan thin enough to melt smoothly off the heat.See current options →
Swaps & notes
Easy swaps
- Use fusilli or medium shells if farfalle is unavailable; choose a shape with ridges or pockets and reserve the same amount of pasta water.
- Replace heavy cream with 3/4 cup half-and-half for a lighter sauce, but keep the heat low and expect to use slightly less pasta water.
- For a nutty variation, replace 1/4 cup Parmesan with finely grated Pecorino Romano and reduce the added salt because Pecorino is saltier.
- Use chopped flat-leaf parsley plus 1 tablespoon chopped chives when fresh basil is unavailable; dried basil will not provide the same fresh finish.
Cook notes
- Finely grate the Parmesan from a block. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking starches that can leave a quick cream sauce grainy.
- Keep at least 1 1/2 cups pasta water even though the recipe may use less; farfalle absorbs sauce quickly, and the extra lets you restore a glossy consistency at the table.
- If the sauce becomes stringy, the pan was likely too hot when the cheese went in. Move it completely off the burner and toss in cool pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Warm serving bowls with hot tap water, then dry them. A warm bowl gives the cheese sauce more time before it begins to firm.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow airtight container within 2 hours and use within 3 days. The sauce will tighten when chilled. Reheat gently in a covered skillet over medium-low heat with 1 to 2 tablespoons water per serving, stirring until the pasta reaches 165°F. Add fresh basil only after reheating. Freezing is not recommended because cream sauce can separate and the tomatoes become watery.
Questions
Why did my Parmesan sauce turn grainy?
High heat and cheese added too quickly are the usual causes. Remove the skillet from the burner, add finely grated cheese in three small handfuls and toss until each addition melts before adding the next. Starchy pasta water helps the fat and water stay emulsified.
Can I make this pasta without heavy cream?
Yes. Use 3/4 cup half-and-half and keep the skillet below a boil, or omit dairy cream and emulsify 1 cup pasta water with the olive oil, butter and Parmesan. The no-cream version will be lighter and more cheese-forward.
Can I prepare the cherry tomatoes ahead?
You can halve the tomatoes and grate the garlic and cheese up to 8 hours ahead, refrigerating each separately. Cook the tomatoes and sauce while the pasta boils; fully assembling the dish ahead causes the farfalle to absorb the sauce and lose its glossy texture.
Pasta sauce technique
Choose a weeknight pasta by sauce-building method
Compare off-heat Parmesan emulsification for creamy farfalle, garlic-butter pan sauce for shrimp spaghetti, roasted-vegetable purée for primavera linguine and one-pot starch release for tomato orzo by how each sauce gains body and when its finishing ingredients are added.
20 min
37 min
Roasted Garlic Primavera Linguine
Light, garlicky linguine loaded with zucchini, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, and herbs instead of a heavy cream sauce.
30 min
One-Pot Creamy Tomato Orzo
A silky, risotto-style tomato orzo that tastes slow-cooked but lands on the table in half an hour.
Cook next
More recipes you’ll like
30 min
Burmese-Style Tea Leaf Salad with Cabbage, Peanuts & Dried Shrimp
Fermented tea leaves, crisp cabbage, tomatoes, peanuts, toasted seeds and savory dried shrimp make a punchy, many-textured salad in 30 minutes.
35 min
Sizzling Ribeye Fajitas with Charred Peppers
Smoky spice-rubbed ribeye, blistered peppers, and limey onions wrapped in warm tortillas with all the good toppings.
40 min
Lemon-Caper Salmon Piccata with Linguine
Golden salmon fillets sit over silky linguine in a bright lemon-caper pan sauce, giving classic piccata flavors a seafood-forward weeknight format.
30 min
One-Pot Creamy Tomato Orzo
A silky, risotto-style tomato orzo that tastes slow-cooked but lands on the table in half an hour.
Creamy Lemon-Parmesan Farfalle with Cherry Tomatoes & Basil
Screen stays awake when supported.
1. Start the farfalleBring a large pot of water to a boil and season it generously with salt. Add the farfalle and cook until just shy of al dente, about 1 minute less than the package directs. Before draining, scoop out 1 1/2 cups of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta without rinsing it.
2. Warm the tomatoes without collapsing themWhile the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring once or twice, until their cut sides glisten and a few edges soften but most tomatoes still hold their shape. Transfer half the tomatoes to a clean plate for the fresh-looking finish.
3. Build the lemon cream baseReduce the skillet heat to medium-low. Add the garlic to the tomatoes left in the pan and stir for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Pour in the cream, then stir in the lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, black pepper and optional red pepper flakes. Simmer gently for 2 minutes; do not let the cream boil hard.
4. Emulsify the sauceAdd the drained farfalle and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to the skillet. Toss over medium-low heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the Parmesan in three small additions and toss after each one until melted. Add the butter and another splash of pasta water as needed; the sauce should look glossy and slightly loose because it thickens as it stands.
5. Balance before adding the herbsTaste the pasta and add the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice if it needs more brightness. Adjust salt and black pepper. Fold in the torn basil only after the pan is off the heat so the leaves stay fragrant and green.
6. Finish with visible tomatoes and basilDivide the farfalle among four warm shallow bowls. Spoon the reserved cherry tomatoes over the top, then finish with small basil leaves and a light shower of Parmesan. Serve immediately while the sauce is fluid and glossy.