Lemon Garlic Orecchiette with Brown Butter Breadcrumbs
Updated Mar 29, 2026
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Lemon Garlic Orecchiette with Brown Butter Breadcrumbs is a bright, buttery pasta tossed in a garlicky lemon brown butter sauce and finished with crispy brown butter breadcrumbs and parmesan. It comes together in about 30 minutes, making it an easy but elevated weeknight dinner.
If you love lemon-forward pastas, you may also enjoy my Orzo al Limone with Crispy Parmesan Chicken, Lemon Cacio e Pepe, or Lemon Caper Pasta and Seared Scallops.
🐝 Quick Look: Lemon Garlic Orecchiette
- ⏱ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: 20 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 30 minutes
- 🍽 Serves: 2
- 🍳 Cook Method: Stovetop breadcrumbs and pasta
- 🧂 Main Ingredients: Orecchiette, butter, garlic, lemon, parmesan, panko breadcrumbs
- 😋 Flavor Profile: Bright, buttery, garlicky
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bright, buttery lemon garlic sauce: If you love citrus-forward pastas like my Orzo al Limone with Crispy Parmesan Chicken, this one delivers that same fresh, zippy flavor.
- Crispy brown butter breadcrumbs: The toasted panko adds the perfect crunchy contrast to the silky pasta similar to my Lemon Pasta with Sardines and Breadcrumbs.
- Easy 30-minute dinner: This lemon garlic orecchiette comes together quickly with pantry staples, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
- Creamy without cream: The sauce gets its silky texture from butter, parmesan, and pasta water, similar to my Creamy Zucchini Pasta.
- Flexible and customizable: Add shrimp, Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken, or veggies, or keep it simple for an easy, meatless pasta night.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
See the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients with exact quantities.
- Orecchiette Pasta: These little “ear-shaped” pasta pieces are perfect for catching the buttery sauce and crispy breadcrumbs in every bite.
- Italian Panko Breadcrumbs: I used Italian-style panko (like Kooshy) for extra flavor. If using plain panko, just mix in Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt.
Tips and Substitutions
- Don’t over-brown the butter: You want it golden and nutty, not dark brown. It will continue cooking slightly after you add ingredients.
- Use plain or Italian panko: Plain panko works great. Add a pinch of Italian seasoning or dried herbs if you want more flavor.
- Save your pasta water: Start with about ½ cup and add more as needed to create a glossy, silky sauce.
- Best pasta shapes: Orecchiette is perfect for catching the sauce and breadcrumbs, but small shapes like shells, cavatelli, or ditalini also work well.
- Add breadcrumbs last: Sprinkle the brown butter breadcrumbs right before serving so they stay crisp.
How to Make Lemon Garlic Orecchiette with Brown Butter Breadcrumbs
See the recipe card below for full instructions and exact amounts.
- Melt the butter and cook until it turns golden brown and smells nutty, then stir in the panko breadcrumbs.
- Cook the breadcrumbs, stirring often, until golden and crisp. Transfer to a bowl, then season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a bowl.
- Cook the butter until lightly browned, then add the garlic, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant.
- Add the cooked pasta, parmesan, butter, and a splash of pasta water.
- Toss until the pasta is coated in a silky, glossy sauce, adding more pasta water as needed.
- Top with the brown butter breadcrumbs, extra parmesan, and a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Lemon Garlic Orecchiette FAQs
How do you make lemon garlic orecchiette?
This lemon garlic orecchiette comes together in about 30 minutes by making a simple butter-based sauce with garlic, lemon, and parmesan, then tossing with pasta and finishing with crispy brown butter breadcrumbs.
Is lemon garlic orecchiette creamy without cream?
Yes! The sauce becomes silky and creamy from butter, parmesan, and pasta water, no heavy cream needed.
Is lemon garlic orecchiette easy to make?
Yes, this is an easy 30-minute pasta recipe made with simple ingredients, making it perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
How do I keep the breadcrumbs for topping the pasta crispy?
Store the breadcrumbs separately from the pasta and add them just before serving to keep them crunchy.
Recommended Pairings
30 Minutes or Less
Arugula, Peach, Burrata, and Crispy Prosciutto Salad
Chicken
Crispy Parmesan Chicken
Soup
Easy Tomato Soup
Lemon Garlic Orecchiette with Brown Butter Breadcrumbs
This lemon garlic orecchiette is tossed in a nutty brown butter sauce and finished with crispy brown butter breadcrumbs, parmesan, and fresh lemon. It’s bright, buttery, and comes together in about 30 minutes for an easy weeknight dinner.
Equipment
- Sauté Pan or large pan
Ingredients
Brown Butter Breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter
- ¼ cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
Pasta
- 3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, divided
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Lemon, zest and juice
- ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes, adjust to taste
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated (plus more for serving)
- 8 ounces Orecchiette Pasta
Instructions
- Brown the butter: Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Swirl continuously as it cooks. The butter will foam, then begin to turn golden brown with a nutty aroma, about 4–6 minutes. Watch closely as it can burn quickly.
- Toast the breadcrumbs: Add the panko breadcrumbs and cook, stirring often, until golden and crisp. Transfer to a bowl, then season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Build the sauce: Wipe out the skillet. Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Once the butter is lightly browned, add garlic, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Cook the pasta: Meanwhile, cook the orecchiette in salted water until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water.
- Finish the pasta: Add the cooked pasta directly to the skillet. Stir in the juice of half the lemon, ½ cup pasta water, the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, and parmesan cheese. Toss until glossy, adding more pasta water as needed.
- Serve: Top with brown butter breadcrumbs, more parmesan, and additional lemon juice to taste.
Video
Notes
- Panko breadcrumbs: Use Italian-style panko for extra flavor, or add a pinch of Italian seasoning or dried herbs, salt, and garlic powder, to plain panko before toasting.
- Pasta water: The starch in pasta water helps create a glossy sauce and loosen the pasta as needed.
- Lemon: Start with the juice of half the lemon, then add more to taste at the end.
- Parmesan: Use freshly grated parmesan so it melts smoothly into the sauce.
- Serving tip: Add the brown butter breadcrumbs just before serving so they stay crisp.
- Storage: Store the pasta and brown butter breadcrumbs separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 729kcal, Carbohydrates: 99g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 71mg, Sodium: 290mg, Potassium: 401mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 894IU, Vitamin C: 30mg, Calcium: 180mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
Absolutely delicious! I like how it truly does come together very quickly. The flavors are amazing and are very bright, as promised! I didn’t have time to get orriecchete so I used small shells instead. The only thing I would change is to finish with more Parmesan than I did. LOL!!!!
I’m so happy to hear that the recipe came together quickly and you enjoyed! And I agree that you can never have enough Parmesan! 🙂
This is one of my favorite pasta recipes! I could eat the brown butter breadcrumbs by the spoonful and they pair perfectly with the lemony pasta.
So much great texture and flavor for minimal work in this one. Great trade off there haha! also Orecchiette is very fun to eat 🙂