This creamy garlic herb linguine pasta is quick, flavorful, and easy to customize. It’s a simple weeknight pasta recipe ready in under 30 minutes.
Here’s a pasta recipe that’s effortlessly delicious: don’t you want to dive right into that bowl? Linguine pasta is a long, flat noodle that’s a little thicker than spaghetti, and pairing it with garlic, Parmesan, fresh basil and chives, and a hint of cream make a luscious sauce that makes you melt into each bite.
I created this weeknight-friendly linguine recipe to work in different ways: it’s great as a vegetarian dish with fresh herbs and sliced cherry tomatoes, or you can add protein like pan seared chicken or sauteed shrimp. It’s also a great side dish for grilled salmon or veggie kabobs: it works with just about anything!
5-Star Reader Reviews
“The linguini was A HIT! I love a lemony pasta so this one was an easy sell for me. We had it with air fryer chicken, and it made for a really nice, filling meal.”– Tanvee
“This sauce is so creamy and deliciously bright! A surprising pasta dish. Fresh herbs and tomatoes add a beautiful pop of both color and flavor. Another quick and deliciously seasoned recipe!” -Renata
What is Linguine?
Linguine is a type of long pasta: the name comes from the Italian word “lingua” or “little tongues”, referring to its flat, narrow shape.
Linguine is similar to fettucine, but thinner and elliptical shaped instead of flat. It works well with vegetables and creamy sauces, just like fettuccine. I like it even better than fettuccine because it’s lighter!
The cook time for dried linguine is typically 9 to 11 minutes, depending on the brand, but I like to check around the 8-minute mark to make sure that it gets to “al dente.”
Ingredients You’ll Need
Linguine is quick and simple, and this recipe comes together in under 30 minutes. Like any Italian recipe, it’s all about quality of the ingredients! Here are some tips on ingredients and substitutions:
- Linguine: I use regular semolina-based linguine, but whole wheat linguine or grain-free pasta also works. The cooking time varies slightly depending on the brand and type.
- Fresh garlic: Don’t make this pasta sauce without the fresh garlic: it’s a must for that aromatic flavor!
- Fresh herbs: Fresh herbs are another must here. I used basil and chives, but it’s also great with oregano, tarragon, thyme, and fresh dill.
- Lemon zest: Lemon zest also infuses a big amount of citrus flavor.
- Milk, cream, Parmesan, Pecorino, and Italian seasoning: This simple mixture makes the base of the sauce. Pecorino cheese is an aged cheese similar to Parmesan, but the bold, salty flavor enhances the sauce even more. I think it’s essential if you can find it!
How to Cook Linguine Pasta Perfectly
Getting perfectly cooked linguine is all about timing and tasting. Here’s what I’ve learned from making this pasta recipe several times:
- Salt your water generously. I typically add about 1 tablespoon salt to a large pot of water: it should actually taste like sea water! This seasons the pasta throughout while you cook it.
- Bring the water to a rolling boil before adding the linguine. This ensures the pasta cooks evenly and doesn’t stick together.
- Cook to al dente. Check the package directions and start tasting about 2 minutes before the suggested time. Al dente means “to the bite” in Italian: when it’s tender with a small white speck inside when you bite into a piece. For most dried linguine, this is around 9-10 minutes (fresh pasta is much quicker to cook).
- Reserve pasta water before draining. This is an Italian cooking technique: the starchy, salted water is often used to create a sauce. Remember to remove about ½ cup before draining.
- Don’t rinse the pasta. The starch on the surface of the pasta helps the sauce cling to the noodles. (This is different from something like soba noodles that you do want to rinse after cooking.)
Serving Suggestions
This linguine pasta is simple as is, and works as a side dish to grilled chicken, grilled fish, grilled shrimp, and more. Or, you can do the following to make a main dish pasta:
- Sliced raw cherry tomatoes make more of a finished vegetarian main dish, just make sure to serve with protein-packed sides like white beans or chickpeas
- Shrimp like sauteed shrimp, or try my favorite shrimp linguine
- Chicken like chopped pan seared chicken or Parmesan crusted chicken
- Salmon like pan seared salmon or baked salmon
- Tofu like baked tofu or crispy tofu
Other Delicious Ways to Use Linguine
After you try the recipe below, linguine works with so many other flavors. The noodles are great with seafood: try my shrimp linguine recipe with white wine and more garlic.
Pesto sauces are also delicious: my shrimp pesto pasta is great with linguine, starring my favorite basil pesto! You could also try sun dried tomato pesto.
For tomato-based sauces, linguine is great with a classic red sauce, vodka sauce, or marinara. The vegetable linguine is a fun summer pasta dish using fresh raw tomatoes: no cooking needed!
Other types of pasta also work with this sauce if you don’t have linguine. Spaghetti, fettuccine or bucatini are delicious. For similar creamy sauces, see my white sauce pasta or lemon ricotta pasta recipes.
Storing and Reheating
This linguine recipe tastes best freshly made: the sauce tastes the best and creamiest right out of the pan. I don’t recommend making this recipe ahead, though you can portion out the sauce ingredients and mince the garlic in advance, storing refrigerated until cooking.
Leftovers last refrigerated for up to 3 days. If you can, save some of the pasta water and add it when reheating to make the sauce creamy again.
Dietary Notes
This linguine pasta recipe is vegetarian. For gluten-free, use gluten-free linguine.
Frequently asked questions
Start with a large pot of heavily salted water: it should taste like sea water. Bring it to a rolling boil before adding the linguine. Cook for 9-11 minutes (check the package), but start tasting around the 8-minute mark. You want al dente texture: tender but with a slight bite. Always reserve some pasta water before draining, and never rinse the cooked linguine. The surface starch helps sauce cling to the noodles.
Fresh basil and chives are my go-to for this linguine recipe, but many different herbs work! Parsley, oregano, thyme and tarragon are great choices. Fresh dill is very delicious as well. I recommend using at least two different fresh herbs for complexity.
This linguine pasta really shines when served immediately. However, you can do prep work ahead: mince the garlic, grate the cheeses, and chop the herbs a few hours in advance. Store everything separately in the refrigerator. The actual cooking only takes 25 minutes (total time including prep time and cook time), so it’s quick enough to make fresh even on busy weeknights.
Garlic Herb Linguine Pasta
Pin RecipeTry this simple and delicious linguine recipe with garlic and herbs! Parmesan cheese, fragrant garlic, and fresh herbs flavor the luscious cream sauce that perfectly coats the pasta. Serve it as a side dish, or stir in cooked protein to turn it into a main!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main or side dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian inspired
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 8 ounces linguine
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- Zest from 1 lemon (about 1 teaspoon)
- 1 cup 2% milk
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons grated Pecorino (optional but recommended)
- ½ tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh ground pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup chopped herbs (basil and chives, or parsley)
- Optional add-ins: sliced cherry tomatoes, pan seared chicken, sauteed shrimp
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the linguine pasta and boil until al dente (check a few minutes before the package instructions indicate and taste to assess doneness). Before draining, reserve about ½ cup pasta water. Then drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Toss with a little olive oil if the sauce is not yet ready.
- In a very large skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and lemon zest and stir briefly. Add the milk, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, Pecorino cheese, Italian seasoning, and ¾ teaspoon kosher salt and cook for about 2 minutes until the cheese has melted. In a small bowl, mix the flour with 1 tablespoon water. Pour it into the pan with the sauce, then stir at a simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until it thickens.
- Taste and add one more pinch of salt. Pour the sauce into the pot with the pasta and stir in the chopped fresh herbs (and any add-ins, if using). Enjoy immediately; the pasta tastes best freshly made. Leftovers last refrigerated for up to 3 days. If you can, save some of the pasta water and add it when reheating to make the sauce creamy again.
Notes
Pasta variations: Spaghetti, fettuccine, or bucatini work if you don’t have linguine. Short pasta shapes like penne or orecchiette also work with this sauce.
Make it dairy-free: Substitute cashew cream or oat milk for the cream and milk. Use nutritional yeast instead of cheese for a cheesy flavor.
Adding protein: This linguine recipe is versatile: stir in cooked shrimp, chicken, or salmon right at the end. For vegetarian protein, add white beans or baked tofu.
About Pecorino: This aged Italian cheese adds a sharp, salty complexity that really makes the dish special. If you can’t find it, use all Parmesan, but try to track down Pecorino Romano for the best flavor.
Leftovers: Store refrigerated for up to 3 days. Save some pasta water to add when reheating: it helps the sauce come back together. Reheat gently on the stovetop in a skillet.
More Pasta Recipes to Try
from A Couple Cooks https://ift.tt/wcBlDzg
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