Anchovy Butter Lime Pasta – 15-Minute Recipe
A silky, briny, zesty anchovy pasta that turns a simple bowl of spaghetti into a bold, addictive dish. The buttery anchovy sauce, brightened with lime zest and juice, coats the pasta in a glossy, emulsified coating that’s both comforting and daring. Perfect for a quick, flavorful dinner that showcases the power of anchovies.
Recipe by Chef GR 🇮🇹· Structured by ReelsMeals
From: Instagram(view original)
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About this saved recipe
Ingredients
- 3 oz tonnarelli or long pasta
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 anchovies in oil
- 3 anchovies in oil
- 1 lime
- to taste black pepper
- to taste salt
- as needed pasta water
Instructions
- 1Bring a large pot of water to a boil, adding just a pinch of salt or none, then cook the pasta until al dente.
- 2While the pasta cooks, melt 2–3 tbsp butter in a pan over low‑medium heat.
- 3Add the 4 anchovies (for the sauce) to the butter and stir until they melt and incorporate, stirring occasionally.
- 4Stir in the zest of half a lime, allowing the aroma to develop.
- 5When the pasta is al dente, reserve about one cup of the hot pasta water and drain the pasta.
- 6Add the drained pasta to the pan with the butter‑anchovy mixture and increase the heat to high.
- 7Toss the pasta, gradually adding reserved pasta water until the sauce becomes glossy and emulsified.
- 8Continue cooking for 1–2 minutes, tossing vigorously to coat the pasta evenly.
- 9Remove the pan from heat, then add the remaining lime zest, a squeeze of lime juice, and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- 10Plate the pasta, top with the remaining 3 anchovies (for topping), extra lime zest, and additional pepper if desired. Serve immediately.
Helpful tips while cooking
AI-assisted notes grounded in this recipe's ingredients, timings, and method—not additional creator instructions.
Reserve Pasta Water
Before draining, set aside about one cup of hot pasta water to use for emulsifying the sauce.
Add Butter‑Anchovy Mix Early
Melt butter and incorporate anchovies while the pasta cooks.
Finish Lime Flavor Off Heat
Add the final lime zest, juice, and black pepper after removing the pan from heat to preserve bright citrus notes.
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This recipe card was structured automatically from the original source. Always check the source for allergens or details the extraction may have missed.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does it take to make Anchovy Butter Lime Pasta?
- About 15 minutes in total: 5 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cooking.
- How many servings does this Anchovy Butter Lime Pasta recipe make?
- This recipe makes 1 serving as written; ingredient quantities on this page can be scaled.
- Where does this Anchovy Butter Lime Pasta recipe come from?
- It was shared by Chef GR 🇮🇹 on instagram.com. ReelsMeals structured the original post into this step-by-step card; the original is linked above.