Ina Garten's Go-To New Year's Eve Dinner Only Takes 10 Minutes To Make
We get it, New Year's Eve is a holiday meant for toasting to the future with a glass of Champagne or Prosecco in hand. It can be easy for those celebrating to forget about dinner — especially if you decide to spend the last day of the year in bars instead of at a party with a spread of dips and finger foods ripe for eating. But when you come home from a night of fun to say your final farewell to the current year, you shouldn't have to do the countdown on an empty stomach.
While you may not have much energy (or time) left after hitting the club, renowned chef Ina Garten wants you to know you don't have to resign yourself to ordering late-night pizza for New Year's Eve dinner. The "Barefoot Contessa" star, who is famous for her simple approach to cooking, has a way to make a quick and delicious holiday dinner before the ball drops.
In a Food Network clip from Garten's show on YouTube, Garten took audiences through the process of whipping up light and luxurious Lemon Capellini. While its name may sound intimidating, Garten explained she only needs three ingredients (lemon, butter, and capellini) and less than 10 minutes to prepare this meal — which has made it her go-to midnight feast after spending a long night out celebrating New Year's Eve.
Ring in the New Year with Lemon Capellini
Lemon Capellini is a surprisingly creamy, yet fresh pasta that tastes elegant despite how easy it is to prepare. To make the dish, Garten transfers her pasta directly from the pot to the sauce so the starchy pasta water binds together with the other ingredients for a decadent sauce, and tops with lemon zest for a more potent lemon flavor.
If you're wondering what makes this meal such a quick fix, Garten explained that the secret is the capellini. She notes that capellini boils faster than your average spaghetti. You also have the option to customize the pasta. For a New Year's flair, Garten adds a luxurious dollop of caviar on top to give the dish an umami, salty bite. Alternatively, you could give the dish a hint of spice with red chili flakes, give it a salty briney flavor with tinned mussels, or freshen it up with some chopped parsley. Even if you've never made Lemon Capellini before, you'll still be able to use Garten's recipe to whip up a tangy holiday meal before you can say, "Happy New Year."