Lemon Butter Pasta with Ricotta and Spicy Breadcrumbs

The simplest 20 Minute Lemon Butter Pasta with Ricotta and Spicy Breadcrumbs…for laid back summer nights. This pasta is buttery, garlicky, and tossed with caramelized lemon and fresh basil. Serve over creamy whipped ricotta and finish off with spicy breadcrumbs for a delicious crunch. Perfect easy summer dinner, any night of the week. Everyone in the house will enjoy this dish, veggies and all! Added bonus? This pasta uses just one skillet and is a great way to use up that summertime garden basil and zucchini.

Here are the details…

As you can imagine, this comes together quick. Just fifteen to twenty minutes is all you need.

Start with the breadcrumbs. Toast them in a skillet with salty capers and crushed red peppers flakes for a little spiciness. Then finish with sea salt. So simple…I love the added crunch and flavor from the capers.

Tip? Make your own fresh breadcrumbs with a loaf of day-old ciabatta bread. Bonus points to you if it’s a loaf of garlic ciabatta. Pulse the torn pieces of bread in a food processor or simply tear the bread into smaller pieces. It’s so easy to do and really adds a lot of flavor to any recipe calling for bread crumbs.

Once the crumbs are out of the skillet, start boiling the pasta. Using angel hair pasta is kind of key to this recipe. It’s one of the quicker cooking types of pasta.

While the pasta cooks, caramelize slices of lemon in butter. Then chop the lemon slices and toss with lots and lots of fresh basil.

Next, cook the zucchini in the remaining butter with garlic and thyme. Remove from the heat, add the angel hair pasta and the lemon basil mix and toss.

Spread some ricotta cheese into your bowl, add the butter pasta and finish with those breadcrumbs.

Done. Dinner in fifteen that’s colorful and oh so GOOD.

Oh…that ricotta

Yes, I whipped it in my food processor, which took me an extra five minutes. If you have the time, I’d recommend going the extra mile. While regular ricotta is good, whipped ricotta takes the pasta to new levels.

When you twirl the warm buttery lemon pasta into the creamy whipped cheese, it instantly creates a creamy sauce that melts in your mouth.

Roll your eyes back good, as I like to say. It makes the pasta just a touch more special, which is always ideal.

Ingredients for Lemon Butter Pasta with Ricotta and Spicy Breadcrumbs:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoon drained capers
• 1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3/4-pounds angel hair pasta
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 6 tablespoons cold salted butter
• 1 lemon, sliced, seeds removed
• 1 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 zucchini or yellow summer squash, very thinly sliced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried thyme)
• 8 ounces ricotta cheese, whipped, if desired

Instructions for Lemon Butter Pasta with Ricotta and Spicy Breadcrumbs:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, the breadcrumbs, capers, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally until the breadcrumbs are toasted all over and the capers fried, about 4 minutes. Remove the breadcrumbs from the skillet. Season with salt.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain.

3. Meanwhile, set your skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 2 tablespoons butter and lemon slices. Sear until the lemon is caramelized, about 1 minute per side. Remove the lemon from the skillet. Finely chop the lemon slices and mix with the basil.

4. To the skillet, add the remaining butter, zucchini, garlic, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the zucchini is golden, 5 minutes. Watch the garlic closely. Remove from the heat, stir in the pasta and 1/2 of the lemon/basil.

5. Spread the ricotta into bowls. Add the pasta. Top with breadcrumbs and additional lemon/basil. Twirl the pasta up with the cheese. EAT and ENJOY.

Notes:

To Make Fresh Breadcrumbs: Pulse torn bread in a food processor until roughly the size of peppercorns. I like to use ciabatta or crusty sourdough bread. If using fresh crumbs, toast them 3-4 minutes in the skillet first. 

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Lemon Butter Pasta with Ricotta and Spicy Breadcrumbs

The simplest 20 Minute Lemon Butter Pasta with Ricotta and Spicy Breadcrumbs…for laid back summer nights. This pasta is buttery, garlicky, and tossed with caramelized lemon and fresh basil. Serve over creamy whipped ricotta and finish off with spicy breadcrumbs for a delicious crunch.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Main Course, pasta

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 6 Servings

Equipment

• Large Skillet (I prefer cast-iron, it goes from stove/oven to table)
• Soup Pot / Dutch Oven
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Mixing Bowls w/lids
• Citrus Juicer (hand)
• Mandolin Slicer and Food Chopper Set
• Garlic Mincer
• Herb Scissors/Chopper

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoon drained capers
• 1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3/4- pounds angel hair pasta
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 6 tablespoons cold salted butter
• 1 lemon sliced, seeds removed
• 1 cup fresh basil chopped
• 1 zucchini or yellow summer squash very thinly sliced
• 3-4 cloves garlic minced or grated
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves or 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 8 ounces ricotta cheese whipped, if desired

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Instructions

 

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, the breadcrumbs, capers, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally until the breadcrumbs are toasted all over and the capers fried, about 4 minutes. Remove the breadcrumbs from the skillet. Season with salt.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain.
• Meanwhile, set your skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 2 tablespoons butter and lemon slices. Sear until the lemon is caramelized, about 1 minute per side. Remove the lemon from the skillet. Finely chop the lemon slices and mix with the basil.
• To the skillet, add the remaining butter, zucchini, garlic, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the zucchini is golden, 5 minutes. Watch the garlic closely. Remove from the heat, stir in the pasta and 1/2 of the lemon/basil.
• Spread the ricotta into bowls. Add the pasta. Top with breadcrumbs and additional lemon/basil. Twirl the pasta up with the cheese. EAT and ENJOY.

Notes

To Make Fresh Breadcrumbs: Pulse torn bread in a food processor until roughly the size of peppercorns. I like to use ciabatta or crusty sourdough bread. If using fresh crumbs, toast them 3-4 minutes in the skillet first.

Keyword #northeastnosh #whippedricotta #lemonbutterpasta #summerpasta #20minutemeal #lemonbutterrecipes

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