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A bowl of lemon caper pasta with roasted garlic.

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 (which can be done in advance!), this pasta comes together quickly.
5 from 1 vote
Servings 4 to 6 people
Calories 768 kcal
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients
  

For the Roasted Garlic

  • 1 large garlic head
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Pinch of salt

For the Panko Topping

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • teaspoon kosher salt
  • Ground 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
  • Roasted garlic see above
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½ 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.
  • 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.
  • Meanwhile, make the Panko by heating the olive oil in a large pan on medium-low to 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.
  • For the pasta, heat the olive oil in the same pan on medium-low to medium heat. Add the capers and fry for 2-3 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, 1-2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
  • 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 and top with the panko and more parsley, if desired.

Notes

Note 1: Long pasta works best (linguine, spaghetti, etc.).

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 768kcal | Carbohydrates: 91g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 254mg | Potassium: 294mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 82IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg
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