Category: Pastas

All you need are 6 simple ingredients to make a vibrant batch of this lemon basil butter pasta in less than 30 minutes.

Fresh basil is back in season and I vote we celebrate with this lemon basil butter pasta! ♡

Our family fell in love with Ali Slagle’s viral basil-butter pasta last fall, which is a deliciously basil-forward, nut-free, and buttery alternative to traditional basil pesto pasta. She had the brilliant idea to blitz blanched basil with butter in a food processor (which you should definitely double to have leftovers for later!), which is then melted into a batch of hot pasta for a quick and easy 3-ingredient meal. The creamy, salty, melted butter serves as the perfect saucy vehicle for the fragrant peppery flavor of fresh basil, and perfectly coats each strand of pasta. And while it’s easy to make the basil butter in the amount of time it takes to cook the pasta, you can also prep the basil butter in advance if you’d like to make dinnertime an absolute breeze. Such a win!

That said, while Ali’s version keeps things simple with just basil, butter and pasta, we’ve come to love adding in a generous dose of lemon, black pepper and Parmesan to this pasta as well (a la this recipe), which adds a balance of bright, spicy, umami flavors to the basil butter that really makes this dish sing. And for any of you who want to go the extra mile and make a batch of brown butter to use here (totally optional, but WOW), I can vouch that the extra toasty, nutty flavor notes absolutely take this simple dish over the top.

Bottom line, I’m now convinced that this melting-basil-butter-into-hot-pasta method here is one that any herb-lover should add to their repertoire. So grab a big bunch of basil and let’s make some pasta!

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This one pot creamy sun-dried tomato pasta recipe is easy to make with the most delicious garlic-basil cream sauce.

This pasta. ♡

I almost hesitated to share this recipe, because it was one of those clean-out-the-fridge meals that is anything but fancy. But the combination of flavors here ended up being SO rich and cozy and delicious that I have a hunch you’ll instantly love it too.

The sun-dried tomatoes are definitely the star of the show here, intensifying the sweet-tart tomato flavor in the pasta, plus we’ll use the leftover oil to sauté the chicken and veggies for extra flavor. I’m also partial to a good chewy small pasta shape in this recipe, such as the gnoccheti sardi pictured here, which adds such satisfying texture to each bite. I went big on the garlic and basil for the sauce and light on the cream, since it doesn’t need much, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes adds the perfect hint of heat. Then I definitely recommend adding a generous handful of freshly-grated Parm to each bowl just before serving. So delicious!!

Everything here comes together in one pot in just a little over 30 minutes. So the next time you’re craving a cozy bowl of pasta, grab a jar of sun-dried tomatoes and let’s make a quick batch of this one together! (more…)

This lemon brown butter pasta is tossed with roasted artichokes and fennel and sprinkled with the most delicious garlic toasted breadcrumbs.

Seriously one of my favorite pasta recipes I’ve made in recent memory. ♡

I know it has a long title, but this recipe actually requires less than 5 minutes of chopping (just fennel, artichoke hearts and some garlic) and is mainly more about cooking and layering ingredients together. The three essential components we’re working with include:

• roasted fennel and artichokes: a bulb of fennel and a jar of artichoke hearts are sliced and roasted until perfectly golden and caramelized
• lemony brown butter sauce: meanwhile, brown butter combines with lemon and Parmesan to create a bright, silky, and downright irresistible sauce in which everything will be tossed
• garlicky breadcrumbs: then we’ll sprinkle each serving with fresh basil and crispy, crunchy, garlicky breadcrumbs, which you absolutely must not skip here — they are magic

It’s another one of those pasta recipes that’s elegant enough for a dinner party yet easy enough for a regular weeknight. And I just can’t say enough good things about how wonderfully all of these flavors pair together. My husband and I absolutely love this recipe served vegetarian, as written. But please feel free to add in an extra protein if you’d like (shrimp, salmon, chicken, or Italian sausage would all be lovely) or swap in your favorite GF pasta and breadcrumbs if prefer to make this recipe gluten-free.

Let’s make some pasta together!

Lemon Butter Pasta Ingredients

Here are a few notes about the ingredients you will need to make this lemon butter pasta recipe:

• Pasta: I used a thick pappardelle pasta for this recipe, but any pasta shape that you love best will work here. Feel free to also use gluten-free or whole wheat pasta, if you prefer.
• Fennel: We will slice and roast an entire bulb of fennel to toss with the pasta. You’re also welcome to save and chop the fronds for garnish, if you would like.
• Artichoke hearts: To keep things easy, we will just use jarred artichoke hearts! Simply drain, halve and roast them along with the fennel until their edges are slightly golden and caramelized.
• Butter: I recommend using salted butter (or you can add a pinch of salt to unsalted butter), which we will lightly brown and toss with lemon and Parmesan to create our brown butter sauce.
• Lemon: We will use both the zest and juice (about 3-4 tablespoons) of one large lemon to make our sauce perfectly lemony.
• Parmesan: I recommend freshly-grating a block of Parmesan cheese by hand so that it will melt well into the brown butter sauce. Then be sure to sprinkle extra on top just before serving!
• Basil: Feel free to either julienne or roughly-chop the fresh basil leaves, which add a lovely fresh touch to this pasta as a garnish.
• Garlicky breadcrumbs: Also very easy to make with butter, garlic, Panko breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.

Tips for Making This Pasta

Full instructions for how to make this pasta are included in the recipe below, but here are a few extra tips to keep in mind:

• Don’t overcook the pasta: The pasta is meant to finish cooking in the lemon butter sauce, so it’s essential that you transfer it to the sauce when it’s just 1 minute or so shy of al dente. I find it’s easiest to quickly transfer the pasta directly into the sauce using a spider strainer or tongs (depending on your pasta shape), but you could also quickly pour the pasta into a strainer and then transfer it to the sauce.
• Keep a close eye on the brown butter: Butter solids can go from brown to burnt quickly, so always keep a close eye on the butter as it is browning on the stove.
• Fully toast the breadcrumbs: I like to let the breadcrumbs toast until they’re a deep golden brown, for extra flavor and crispiness. Just keep stirring and monitoring their color until they reach your desired level of doneness.

Potential Recipe Variations

Here are a few additional variations that you are welcome to try with this recipe:

• Add a protein: Shrimp, salmon, scallops, chicken, Italian sausage or bacon would all be great options if you would like to add a protein.
• Add cream: Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of cream to the lemon brown butter sauce if you would like to make it creamier.
• Use different herbs: Finely chopped fresh rosemary, tarragon, thyme, parsley, oregano or chives would all be delicious mixed into the garlic breadcrumbs too, if you would like to add in some additional fresh herbs.
• Make it gluten-free: Use your favorite gluten-free pasta and gluten-free Panko breadcrumbs (or any style of breadcrumbs) to make this pasta gluten-free.

More Vegetarian Pasta Recipes

Looking for more vegetarian pasta recipes to try? Here are a few of our all-time favorites:

• Cacio e Pepe
• One-Pot Broccoli Mac and Cheese
• Baked Feta Pasta
• Pasta with Burst Cherry Tomatoes, Burrata and Basil

Lemon Butter Pasta with Roasted Artichokes and Fennel

• Author: Ali
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Yield: 4 servings

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Description

This lemon brown butter pasta is tossed with roasted artichokes and fennel and sprinkled with the most delicious garlic toasted breadcrumbs.

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Ingredients

Pasta Ingredients:

• 1 large fennel bulb
• 2 (14-ounce) cans artichoke hearts, drained and halved
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 large lemon, zest and juice (about 3–4 tablespoons juice)
• 1 ounce freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 pound uncooked pappardelle (or your preferred pasta shape)
• chopped fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Garlicky Breadcrumb Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced
• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• ½ teaspoon each: fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

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Instructions

1. Prep the oven and pasta water. Heat the oven to 425°F. Bring a large stockpot of generously-salted water to a boil.
2. Slice the fennel. Trim off the stalks and flat root base. (You’re welcome to save the fronds for garnish if you would like.) Halve the fennel, then cut into 1/2-inch wedges.
3. Roast. Add the fennel slices and artichoke hearts to the baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, then gently toss to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes. Then turn on the broiler and broil for another 2-4 minutes, keeping a close eye on the fennel and artichokes, until their edges are lightly browned and caramelized. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack.
4. Cook the garlicky breadcrumbs. While the veggies are roasting, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add the breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and stir to combine. Continue sautéing, stirring occasionally, until the Panko reaches a toasted golden brown color. Transfer the breadcrumb mixture to a clean bowl and set aside. Carefully use a paper towel to briefly wipe off any crumbs remaining in the sauté pan, then return the pan to the stove.
5. Cook the pasta. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until 1 minute shy of al dente.
6. Brown the butter. While the pasta is cooking, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in the large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Continue cooking until the butter begins to foam, stirring frequently to ensure that the butter cooks evenly. Add a few twists of black pepper and continue cooking the butter, stirring frequently, until it starts to turn golden brown and smells toasty. (Keep a very close eye on the butter so that it does not burn, since it can go from golden to burned very quickly.) 
7. Finish the brown butter sauce. Using a heat-safe measuring cup, scoop out 1 cup of the starchy pasta water from the stockpot and pour it into the brown butter mixture. (Be careful and pour slowly because it will bubble up furiously.) Let the mixture simmer and reduce for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add in the lemon zest and lemon juice and whisk until combined.
8. Toss the pasta. Once the pasta is 1 minute shy of al dente, use a spider strainer or tongs to quickly transfer it directly to the brown butter sauce. Add the Parmesan and toss everything together for 1-2 minutes until the pasta is al dente and the sauce is thick and glossy and coats the pasta evenly. (If the sauce seems too dry, just add in an extra 1/4 cup at a time of the remaining starchy pasta water as needed.) Add in the roasted fennel and artichokes and briefly toss to combine. Taste and season with extra salt or black pepper if needed.
9. Serve. Serve immediately, garnished with the garlicky breadcrumbs and fresh basil. Enjoy!

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