Anchovy Butter Lime Pasta
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.
Maker: Chef GR 🇮🇹
From: Instagram(view original)
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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.
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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.