Lemon Garlic Orecchiette w/ Brown Butter Breadcrumbs
Updated Jan 28, 2025, Published on Jan 22, 2022
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This pasta dish is simple, but so flavorful. There’s nuttiness from the brown butter, acid from the lemon zest and juice, heat from the red pepper flakes, and creaminess from the parmesan cheese and pasta water. Not to mention, there’s lots of minced garlic – my favorite!
Be sure not to skip making the brown butter breadcrumbs! They really are the best part of this dish and add a perfect crunch and saltiness on top when serving. I could seriously eat them by the spoonful.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! Be sure to rate and leave a comment if you try it!
Brown Butter Lemon Garlic Orecchiette
Equipment
- Sauté Pan This Made In pan is my favorite!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon Butter, divided
- 1/4 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Dried Parsley
- 3-4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Lemon, zest and juice
- 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes, more or less depending on spice preference
- 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated, more to serve
- 6 oz Orecchiette Pasta
Instructions
- Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Continuously swirl butter in pan as it browns. The butter should get a nutty aroma and start to foam a bit. Watch carefully because brown butter can quickly burn. This usually takes a couple minutes or so.
- Once the butter is brown, add panko breadcrumbs. Stir the breadcrumbs into the brown butter. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the bread crumbs are toasted. Immediately remove into a bowl and add salt and pepper to taste and dried parsley. Mix the seasoning into the breadcrumbs. Set aside for serving.
- Wipe out the same skillet then melt two more tablespoons of butter over medium heat. When the butter starts to bubble and brown, add minced garlic, the zest of 1 lemon, and red pepper flakes. Stir often and cook for 2 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve about a cup of pasta water. Once cooked, add straight into the skillet with the brown butter sauce. Mix in the juice of half a lemon, 1/2 a cup of pasta water adding more if needed, parmesan cheese, and 1 more tbsp of butter.
- Serve with additional lemon juice and parmesan cheese and top with the brown butter breadcrumbs.
Video
@carolbeecooks There’s no words to describe this brown butter lemon orecchiette 💛 #orecchiette #pastatiktok #pastarecipe #brownbutter
♬ original sound – ALTÉGO
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So much great texture and flavor for minimal work in this one. Great trade off there haha! also Orecchiette is very fun to eat 🙂