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.
Servings: 2
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
