Linguine Pasta with Butter and Arugula

This pasta is a great and simple one to prepare since it does not require a cooked sauce. The linguine is dressed with butter, parmesan cheese, lemon, olive oil, and comes together with heat from the warm pasta. Add in the crisp and slightly tangy bitterness of arugula, and this easy-to-make meal becomes tastier, heartier, and healthier. There really is no reason to not eat this, it’s practically wins all across the board! (Ok, maybe not for my vegan and gluten-free friends…sorry!)

Serves 6 – 8

1 pound linguine
6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 lemon
1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
6 ounces arugula leaves
salt
pepper
olive oil

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until “al dente,” about 7 – 8 minutes. It should be firm to the bite, but not hard.
2. Drain the linguine, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water, then return pasta to the pot, and toss together with the butter and juice from 1/2 of the lemon to coat the noodles. Lightly toss in the grated parmesan to mix, but do so in batches to help prevent the cheese from clumping. Add the reserved cooking water as needed to keep the pasta loose.
3. Add the arugula and toss until evenly distributed.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add extra lemon juice if desired. Finish with a light drizzle of olive oil.
5. Wasn’t that easy? Now go eat!

* Vegetarian