Lemon Caper Pasta with Roasted Garlic
This lemon caper pasta with roasted garlic amps up classic aglio e olio with some next-level flavors. And aside from the time needed to roast a head of garlic (but you can do it in advance!), this pasta comes together quickly.
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This lemon caper pasta with roasted garlic is a twist on my linguine aglio e olio with roasted garlic, which in itself is a twist on the classic version. Some time back when I had family in for the holidays, I made my aglio e olio recipe and tossed in some capers and anchovies for good measure.
The result was one of those delectable salty dishes made even more delicious with a crunchy Panko breadcrumb topping. Sometimes I feel it’s wrong to grate cheese over pasta that contains any kind of fish—is it?—but a breadcrumb topping always feels like a safe bet.
On the other hand, if you love the crunch of toasted Panko like I do, you probably won’t shed any tears over not dusting this particular pasta with cheese. But don’t let me hold you back if you decide to do just that.
What’s also great about this recipe is that it comes together quickly. Yes, you have to roast garlic, but you can just set it and forget it. You can also roast it in advance, ensuring that dinner time is quick, easy, and delicious.
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Caper Pasta with Roasted Garlic
- Elevates the traditional aglio e olio version: This pasta already deviates from the traditional one by using roasted garlic, but the anchovy and fried capers add a new dimension of flavor to this classic dish.
- May end up liking anchovies (if you don’t already): You don’t really taste the anchovies in this recipe because all they really do is add a depth of essential flavor.
Key Ingredients
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Panko elevates this simple dish with an irresistibly crunchy topping.
- Capers: A must in this caper pasta recipe for their olive-like brininess.
- Anchovies: They provide an umami flavor that doesn’t taste fishy at all.
See the recipe card below for more information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Lemon Caper Pasta with Roasted Garlic
- Roast garlic: Preheat oven and trim the top off the garlic head. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, wrap in foil, and roast until soft. Once cooled, squeeze out the roasted garlic.
- Cook pasta: Boil salted water and cook pasta until al dente. Reserve some pasta water before draining.
- Prepare Panko: Toast Panko with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and wipe the pan clean.
- Make sauce: Heat olive oil in the same pan. Fry capers, then add anchovies, roasted garlic, and red pepper flakes, pressing them into the oil. Remove from heat.
- Combine & serve: Toss pasta with the sauce, lemon juice, and parsley, adding pasta water as needed. Serve topped with toasted Panko and more parsley.
Pro Tips
- Roast the garlic in advance: This will make preparing this recipe that much faster. Roasted garlic can last at least several days in the refrigerator.
Suggestions for Variations and Substitutions
-Add olives if you have some you’ve been wanting to use up.
-Finish off the dish with some grated Parmesan (I usually recommend Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano instead), if you don’t think it’s sacrilegious to add cheese to fish (anchovies).
Recipe FAQs
Let it cool first, then use the side of a butter knife to squeeze it out, working from the bottom of the bulb to the top.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and consume within 3 days.
Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this pasta.
Reheat: Reheat this pasta in the oven, covered, or in the microwave.
More Pasta Recipes
- Linguine aglio e olio with roasted garlic
- Linguine with clams, anchovies, and breadcrumbs
- Pasta with broccoli and anchovy breadcrumbs
If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, please take a moment to leave a five-star review below. You could also tag me on Instagram (@forcarbssake) with a picture of your finished dish!
Lemon Caper Pasta with Roasted Garlic
Ingredients
For the Roasted Garlic
- 1 large garlic head
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
For the Panko Topping
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- Pinch of black pepper
For the Pasta
- 16 ounces pasta (Note 1)
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons capers drained and blotted dry with a paper towel
- 4 anchovy fillets
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ small lemon juiced
- Handful Italian flat-leaf parsley minced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Peel away the loose skin from the head of garlic, and use a knife to slice off about ¼" to ½" from the top. Place the garlic head on a sheet of aluminum foil, and drizzle 1 teaspoon of olive oil over it along with a sprinkle of salt. Wrap it tightly in the foil and place it on a small aluminum pan and in the oven.1 large garlic head1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oilSprinkle of salt
- Roast the garlic for 45 minutes until completely softened. Once cooled, squeeze the roasted garlic from it, careful to discard any loose skins.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package's directions or until al dente. Before draining the pasta, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. 16 ounces pasta
- Meanwhile, make the Panko by heating the olive oil in a large pan on medium heat. Add the Panko, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and toast until the Panko is golden brown. Transfer the breadcrumbs to a plate, and wipe down the pan carefully with a paper towel to remove any remaining crumbs.2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil½ cup Panko breadcrumbs½ teaspoon garlic powder⅛ teaspoon kosher saltPinch of black pepper
- For the pasta, heat the olive oil in the same pan on medium heat. Add the capers and fry for 2 to 3 minutes until they start to brown. Add the anchovies, roasted garlic, and red pepper flakes, and press the anchovies and garlic into the oil as they heat through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. ½ cup extra virgin olive oil2 tablespoons capers4 anchovy filletsRoasted garlic½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Toss the pasta with the caper sauce, the juice from the lemon, and some parsley. Add some pasta water to loosen everything. Serve the pasta in plates or bowls and top with the panko and more parsley, if desired.Juice of ½ small lemonHandful minced Italian flat-leaf parsley