Creamy Citrus Pasta Recipe
I seriously can’t believe it has taken me this long to share this citrus pasta recipe. After my friend Sara shared this dish with me that she found in a Rachel Ray cookbook, I’ve been making it for years. I’ve made a few tweaks, but it’s pretty close to the original. Its creamy sauce is full of flavor and has proven to be a hit with all ages.
I really like to serve it with roasted broccoli and wheat dinner rolls. It can be a great pasta dish for the summer, too. While it’s warm and creamy, the citrus flavor makes it seem fresh and light.
Give it a whirl if you are looking for a new recipe!

Creamy Citrus Pasta Recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 1x
Category: Pasta
Method: Stove top
Cuisine: Italian
Description
While this pasta dish is warm and creamy, the citrus flavor makes it seem fresh and light. It is a flavorful dish that you’ll love to serve up.
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons cognac or 2 tablespoons dry sherry
- zest of 1 lemon
- zest of 1 navel orange
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped (I leave this out)
- 12 leaves fresh basil, chopped or torn
- 1/2 pound whole wheat linguine, cooked al dente
- 1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese (I just use Parmesan)
- (optional: add 1 lb of cooked shrimp to the pasta. I love it this way!)
Instructions
- Boil a pot of water and add linguine.
- While pasta is cooking, warm the cream over low-medium heat.
- Add in the cognac or dry sherry, lemon and orange zest, and salt; simmer 7-10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add mint and basil.
- Toss the hot, drained pasta with the sauce and grated cheese.
- Serve immediately.
- (I like to throw a small handful of Parmesan cheese on top of each dish right before I serve it.)
what about the shrimp? I see shrimp in the pictured dish, don’t I?
I love to toss in a pound of cooked shrimp. Just updated the recipe to include that suggestion. Sorry for the confusion!
Substitue the sherry or cognac with chicken broth?
Sure, that would work just fine!