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Pasta with anchovy butter in a serving dish, ready to enjoy.

Anchovy Butter Pasta

Diana Rattray
This dish is as practical as it is delicious. Using pantry staples like pasta, breadcrumbs, and anchovies, it’s a recipe you can pull together on short notice while still delivering a spectacular meal.
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Servings 4 servings
Calories 520
Prep Time 12 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes

Ingredients
  

For the Breadcrumbs

For the Pasta

For the Anchovy Butter

  • 8 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 anchovy fillets, packed in oil, mashed
  • 2 cloves garlic, halved and lightly crushed
  • Dash crushed red pepper

For Finishing

  • Reserved cooking water
  • 2 to 3 tsp lemon juice
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Reserved breadcrumbs
  • Finely chopped parsley, for serving

Instructions

  • Melt 1 tablespoon of butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the finely grated garlic clove and breadcrumbs and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 4 minutes or until the crumbs are lightly browned. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl and toss with the lemon zest and a pinch of kosher salt. Set aside. Wipe out the pan.
    1 tbsp olive oil | 1 tbsp unsalted butter | 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs | 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest | 1 clove garlic | 1 pinch kosher salt
    Browning the panko breadcrumbs with butter, olive oil, garlic, and lemon zest.
  • Put a large pot of about 3 quarts of water on to boil with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Add the spaghetti and cook to al dente following the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and drain the spaghetti.
    8 ounces spaghetti | 1 tbsp kosher salt
    Draining the hot cooked spaghetti.
  • Meanwhile, cut the butter into chunks and put it in a small food processor with the anchovy fillets; process until the mixture is smooth. Melt the butter and anchovy mixture in the same sauté pan over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic halves and crushed red pepper and continue cooking for 4 to 5 minutes or until the butter is lightly browned. Remove the pan from the heat.
    8 tbsp unsalted butter | 3 anchovy fillets | 2 cloves garlic | Dash crushed red pepper
    Small food processor with anchovy butter.
  • Add the drained spaghetti to the pan and toss with the anchovy butter. Place it back on medium heat and continue tossing, adding some reserved cooking water a little at a time until the sauce looks creamy. Taste and season with lemon juice, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
    Reserved cooking water | 2 to 3 tsp lemon juice | Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    Tossing the spaghetti in the hot browned anchovy butter.
  • Transfer the pasta to a serving dish and top with the crumbs and chopped fresh parsley.
    Finely chopped parsley | Reserved breadcrumbs
    Pasta with anchovy butter in a serving dish, ready to enjoy.

Nutrition

Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 10gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 2036mgPotassium: 180mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 789IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 1mg

Disclaimer:

Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.

Keyword anchovy butter, garlic, panko crumbs, pasta, spaghetti
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