Fettuccine Lemoncello

I can't bring myself to make jam or real Fettuccine Alfredo... too much sugar, too much fat. I don't have an answer for the jam, but this Fettuccine Lemoncello is fabulous and guilt-free!

Plus, Lemoncello makes me think of Spring!

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What Makes This Recipe Special?

• Low-fat sour cream gives you the richness without the calories.
• Lemoncello adds a depth of flavour that amps up the lemon aspect. But, you can omit it if you don't have it.
• It is dead easy, and you can make it in 30 minutes!

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Pasta - there is no reason you can't toss any sturdy pasta with this sauce. Fettuccine is recommended because the sauce is a knock-off of traditional Alfredo sauce.
• Sour Cream - Since sour cream comes in fat-free, 1%, 5% and  14%, you can choose what level of milk fat you want to include. If you are feeling really decadent, you could even ratchet up to Mascarpone!
• Lemon - Fresh lemon and lemon zest juice add layers of lemon-y goodness with very little effort!  You will need 2 lemons at least for this dish.  It will depend on the size and the juiciness of your lemons. You will zest one lemon and squeeze it to get the fresh lemon juice.  The other you will quarter and serve with the pasta so each person can get a fresh hit of lemon to brighten the dish.  So - if you don't get ¼ cup of juice from one lemon, you will need a 3rd lemon.
• Lemoncello - you can omit it if you don't have it. You may need to increase the fresh lemon juice to get the consistency you want for the sauce. But - did you know you can make some in just 4 days?  Check out this simple way to make Homemade Lemoncello!
• Asparagus - You could substitute broccoli or rapini.
• Asiago Cheese- is recommended but you could use fresh Parmesan or Gran Padano.
• Prosciutto - adds a salty touch and is preferred, but you could use pancetta or bacon.
• Optional ingredients- You could add shrimp or cubed chicken to the dish if you wan to make it more substantial.

How To Make It

• Get your pasta water boiling and cook the pasta.
• Make the sauce while the pasta is cooking and you will have this on the table in 30 minutes!

Wine Pairing

I would honour the Italian roots of this dish.  Anything with crisp, lemon-y descriptors would work here.  Pinot Grigio is an obvious option - more adventurous palates may look for a Soave, Lugana, Grillo or Friuli.

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Related Recipes

Fettuccine Lemoncello

A refreshing pasta where lemon and asparagus flavours shine. You can work on the asparagus and sauce while the pasta is cooking to get this to the table in 30 minutes.

Author: Carolyn Hetke

If you tried this, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know it went in the 📝 comments below!

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 pkg fettuccine or linguine (375 grams)
• ▢ 12 spears asparagus
• ▢ 6 slices prosciutto (halved lengthwise)

Sauce

• ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 cup sour cream low fat is fine
• ▢ 4 oz asiago cheese grated. Can substitute Parmesan or Gran Padano.
• ▢ ¼ cup lemoncello
• ▢ ¼ cup fresh lemon juice from 1-2 lemons. Zest one lemon before juicing.

Topping

• ▢ 4 Tbsps Italian parsley minced
• ▢ zest of 1 lemon from juiced lemon above
• ▢ 1 lemon quartered
• ▢ 4 Tbsps panko bread crumbs toasted
• ▢ sprinkle of sea salt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
• Put the pasta water on the stove top and bring to a boil. Cook according to manufacturer's instructions.
• While water is coming to a boil, spray an oven proof dish big enough to hold the asparagus spears in a single layer.
• Wash the asparagus thoroughly. Bend the bottom of the stem of the asparagus- it will snap off where the stalk goes from tender to woody. Discard the tough bottoms.
• Wrap each asparagus spear in a long thin strips of prosciutto leaving a ½ inch or so of the tip exposed.
• Position spears in the oven proof pan in a single layer and roast about 15 minutes.
• Add the panko crumbs in an oven proof dish to the oven at the same time. Remove panko crumbs as soon as they are brown. Check them after 4 or 5 minutes. Set crumbs aside when they are browned.
• Zest and juice the fresh lemon(s).
• Combine the lemon zest and the minced parsley and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a sacuepan and sauté garlic one minute over medium/low heat. Add the sour cream and asiago and heat til cheese is melted. Add the lemoncello and fresh lemon juice and heat through. Keep warm til ready to use.
• When aspargus is done cut each spear into 1 ½" chunks. Reserve the tips to garnish the dish.
• When pasta is cooked, drain it and then toss it with the warm sauce and asparagus chunks.
• Divide evenly among 4 dishes. Sprinkle lemon zest and parsely mix over each dish. Garnish each dish with panko crumbs and 3 asparagus tips and a pinch of sea salt. Serve with a fresh lemon wedge.

Notes

If you don't have Lemoncello, you can omit it. You may want to increase the fresh lemon juice to bring the sauce to your desired consistency.

Wine Pairing

I would honour the Italian roots of this dish.  Anything with crisp, lemon-y descriptors would work here.  Pinot Grigio is an obvious option - more adventurous palates may look for a Soave, Lugana, Grillo or Friuli.

Nutrition

Calories: 501kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 1103mg | Potassium: 327mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g

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