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brown butter walnut pasta with lemon and broccolini
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Brown Butter Walnut Pasta with Lemon & Roasted Broccolini

A quick but elevated pasta that’s all about bold, balanced flavour--served up with crispy, roasted broccolini.
Course Main Course
Keyword 30-minute meals, broccolini, california walnuts, easy dinner ideas, easy pasta recipe, easy weeknight dinners, lemon pasta recipe, orecchiette, quick weeknight pasta, vegetarian pasta dish, walnut pasta, weeknight meals
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 2 people

Ingredients

  • ½ lb short pasta orecchiette
  • 1 bunch broccolini trimmed
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • ½ cup walnuts
  • Zest of 1 lemon + juice from ½ lemon
  • ¼-½ cup reserved pasta water
  • Italian parsley
  • Salt & pepper
  • Garlic powder
  • 1 cup parmesan grated

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 425°F. Toss a bunch of broccolini with olive oil, garlic powder, and a good pinch of salt. Spread it out on a baking sheet and roast until crispy and golden—about 15–20 minutes.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta until al dente. Save about ½ cup of pasta water before draining.
  • While the pasta cooks, toast the California walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant and lightly golden. Set aside.
  • In the same pan, melt the butter and let it brown until golden and nutty.
  • Add your cooked pasta directly into the browned butter. Stir in lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss until everything’s glossy and coated.
  • Plate the pasta and top with lots of grated parmesan, the toasted walnuts, chopped Italian parsley, and a crack of black pepper. Serve the crispy broccolini on the side!