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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.
I love a good Monday night salad in the summer (assuming it looks something like this chopped salad or my summery Ceasar). But I also love a bowl of Monday night pasta more than you’ll know. Starting the week with a dinner that’s easy and something you can really look forward to is key. Especially in the summer.
When the weather finally turns nice here I want to spend a little less time in the kitchen (to a point…it’s my job, so I’m in the kitchen more than most). And a bit more time outside enjoying the summer season. Summer happens so very quickly here. By late August our trees have already begun to change colors and at night the temperatures are below 32.
It’s a quick season, so I really try to enjoy it while it’s here. Walks around the neighborhood when the sun is slowly setting over the mountains are my favorite this time of year. So I try to do as many of them as possible.
Which brings me to this pasta and the inspiration.
The Inspiration…
Two things inspired this easy, but delicious lemon butter pasta.
The idea came after a Saturday night walk. I really just wanted to make something for dinner that would be quick and create as little mess as possible, since for once the kitchen was actually clean.
For some inspiration, I took walk over to the garden (aka greenhouse, but I love using the word garden so much more…so sticking with garden). I pulled a whole bunch of fresh basil and thyme…love their fragrances.
Growing up, my mom and I loved a simple pasta tossed with basil and butter on summer nights, so I drew all my inspiration from there. But I added caramelized lemon…and a few other things to make it that much more delicious.
Of course. Because that’s just me, and that’s what I do.
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. It’s also what my mom and I would always request when my dad would make us our “basil butter 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.
Looking for other summer pasta? Try these weeknight favorites.
Jammy Cherry Tomato Pasta with Crisp Lemon Rosemary Chickpeas
Antipasto Pasta Salad with Herby Parmesan Vinaigrette
One Pot Lemon Basil, Asparagus, and Sausage Pasta
Lastly, if you make this 20 minute lemon butter pasta with ricotta and spicy breadcrumbs, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch the How to video:
20 Minute Lemon Butter Pasta with Ricotta and Spicy Breadcrumbs
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 487 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoon drained capers
- 1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3/4 pound 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
- 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.
This post was originally published on June 15, 2020
When I chopped up all those lemon slices I was so afraid that this would be too lemony, but it was surprisingly delicious! I almost took away a star because I don’t see how I could possibly make this in 20 minutes! But you seem so sweet I didn’t want to take a star away from you. : )
Love that!! Thank you for trying this one, Mary! I hope you continue to enjoy all the recipes you try! xTieghan
This tastes like summer, happiness, and a bit of mischief! I will be making again but next time doubling the zucchini. The family loved it!
Thank you so much Kelly!! I am really glad you all loved this one! xTieghan
OMG I just made this and it was the best pasta I think I’ve ever made. Those toasted bread crumbs were m a g i c a l. Thank you for this deliciousness!
Thank you Bee!! I am really glad this turned out so amazing for you! xTieghan
Half Baked Harvest comes through once again! In January, we challenged ourselves to make 50 new recipes this year, and we met our goal yesterday with this little taste sensation! Looking at our list of recipes, several of those we’ve enjoyed have come from you. Your unexpected flavor combinations and preparation (like the caramelized lemon slices in this recipe) and new ways of preparing old standbys have been a real treat for us. Thank you for helping us meet (and soon exceed) our goal. Tonight for recipe #51, we’re trying out the Pesto Chicken Caesar Salad with Tomatoes and Burrata. Can’t wait!
Wow that is such an amazing goal! So glad you tried this one, Alyssa! Thank you so much! xTieghan
I made this last night and it was amazing! The whipped ricotta with added fresh lemon juice is life changing. I now want that with everything. The breadcrumb topping was delicious and the perfect crunch. I added shrimp to the dish, that was excellent with the caramelized lemons chopped up….my mouth is watering and I can’t wait for left-overs lunch today! Thanks for the Fab Summer recipe, Tieghan!
Thank you so much Jenna!! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well! I hope you continue to love this and others! xTieghan
Delicious! The caramelized lemons added just the right punch. And the whipped ricotta is pure genius. Next time (and there will be many next times for this dish!) I’ll save some of the pasta water – maybe it was the type of pasta I used (didn’t have angel hair) but I found the leftovers to be a bit dry. I added some chicken stock and that worked. Thank you so much for this – and all your creative recipes!
Thank you so much for trying this Luann!! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
hi! do you ever post nutrition info? if so, where can i find this? Thank you!
Hi! I am sorry, but I do not! I recommend using a app or online food calculator to get the calories, fats, etc. Just make sure to divid by the serving size!! xTieghan
Whipped ricotta….so amazingly delicious. My family loved this recipe.
It is a game changer!! I am so glad you enjoyed this, Liesl! Thank you! xTieghan
This was a hit!! Delightful for summer!
This was a hit!! Delightful for summer!
Love to hear that! Thank you!! xTieghan
Aloha, we made this for dinner tonight and the consensus was that everybody pretty much loved it except for the fact the lemon slices were bitter. So do you have a trick for getting the bitterness out of the lemon slices before you caramelize them? Inquiring minds need to know!
Hi Rose,
Thanks for trying the recipe, so sorry the lemon was bitter. I am wondering how caramelized your lemons were because that really takes the bitterness out of them? Please let me know! xTieghan
I was a bit hesitant about this recipe when I looked at all the ingredients and how it came together but I must say it was delicious and a really nice dish for summer pasta! I would be happy to serve the dish at dinner to visitors. I think using the whole lemon with the basil, even after sautéing gave the dish a bit of a bitter taste. Next time I make this I would likely use the zest of the lemon then sauté the lemon slices after slicing the pith off of the lemon slices. Overall, very tasty and a little “something different”.
Thank you so much Marsha!! That is so great to hear! xTieghan
This was a delicious pasta dish! Lemony, basily and creamy. One note – do NOT taste the toasted breadcrumbs before you serve the dish. If you do, you WILL end up eating 1/2 of them before it’s time to plate the dish.
Great recipe! I did find the lemon rind too bitter even though it was beautifully caramelized, I’ll leave it out completely next time. .
Haha that is such an amazing disclaimer!! Thank you so much for trying this one, Amy! xTieghan
So excited to give this one a try! Any suggestions for adding a meat? I was thinking chicken or sausage? Thank you!
Hi Rachel,
I think sausage would be great! You could use ground sausage and just sauté on the side and add to the pasta. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Any tips on caramelizing lemons? Mine always seem to still turn out slightly bitter.
Hi M.B.
I would recommend using a cast iron skillet and butter, key for caramelizing lemons. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan