Pasta with Anchovies and Onions
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Total Time
20 mins
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Servings
2 servings
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Calories
435 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Pasta with Anchovies and Onions
Description
The Pasta with Anchovies and Onions recipe focuses on long pasta, traditionally bucatini, cooked al dente and then tossed in a sauce formed by sautéing garlic and thinly sliced yellow onions in butter and olive oil. Anchovy fillets are added to the sauce along with reserved pasta water, which helps emulsify and enrich the mixture, imparting a mild, salty depth to the onions and garlic. Fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley finish the dish, contributing acidity and herbal notes that brighten the savory base. Parmesan cheese stirred in adds creaminess and umami to the final plate. The gently cooked onions remain tender, providing a contrasting texture to the pasta. This combination creates a refined yet straightforward pasta dish that relies on quality ingredients and delicate cooking for its flavor profile.
Serve this pasta hot, topped with extra Parmesan or toasted bread crumbs if desired, for a textural contrast. It works well as a main course with a light salad or as part of a larger Italian-inspired meal. The robust anchovy flavor is subtle due to melting into the sauce, making it accessible even to those less familiar with anchovies.
To preserve the pasta’s texture, ensure it is cooked just until al dente since it will cook further when combined with the sauce. Save some pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency or to loosen leftovers during reheating. Any leftovers can be stored refrigerated for up to three days and gently reheated in a pan with a splash of water.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces bucatini or other long pasta of your choice
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 oz) butter unsalted
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 medium yellow onion sliced 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick
- 8 anchovy fillets or substitute 2 teaspoons anchovy paste
- 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese grated, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon parsley chopped, fresh
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat for the pasta. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions, stirring every 2 minutes. Taste a noodle a minute or so before the end of the suggested cooking time to ensure that your pasta comes out al dente.
- Meanwhile, in a medium skillet combine the garlic, 1 tablespoon of butter, and the olive oil. Warm over low heat until the garlic becomes fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the onion and increase the heat to medium. Cook, giving the skillet a toss every other minute and reducing the heat if the butter begins to brown, until the onions are soft, about 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to low.
- Just before it’s time to remove the pasta from the boiling water, add 1/3 cup (80 ml) of the pasta water and the anchovies to the onion mixture and bring it to an aggressive simmer.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet. Continue cooking, constantly stirring and flipping, until about 3 tablespoons of liquid remain in the skillet, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and remove from the heat. Add the Parmesan, parsley, and lemon juice and stir until fully incorporated.
- Divvy the pasta between two bowls and serve with more Parmesan, if desired.
Notes
- Toast bread crumbs or panko and sprinkle over the finished dish for added texture.
- Boil pasta only until al dente since it cooks more when combined with the sauce.
- Reserve some pasta cooking water to adjust sauce consistency or when reheating leftovers.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water or reserved pasta water.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 2servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 435 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 435kcal | 22% |
| Carbohydrates | 28g | 9% |
| Protein | 13g | 26% |
| Fat | 30g | 46% |
| Saturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 68mg | 23% |
| Sodium | 1333mg | 56% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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