Garlic-Lemon Spaghetti with Toasted Crumbs
Toasted flour-crumbs stand in for breadcrumbs, garlic and lemon do the lifting.
Ingredients
- 200 g Pasta
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 4 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Lemon
- 30 g Butter
- 3 tbsp All-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper
- ½ tsp Red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tbsp Parsley (optional)
- 30 g Parmigiano-Reggiano (optional)
Method
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt heavily.
- Toast the flour in a dry small pan over medium heat, stirring often, until pale gold and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Tip into a small bowl.
- Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook one minute shy of al dente.
- Thinly slice the garlic; zest and juice the lemon.
- Warm the olive oil and butter in a wide pan over medium-low. Add garlic and chili flakes; let infuse until pale gold, 3 minutes.
- Reserve a mugful of pasta water, then drain.
- Add the drained pasta to the pan. Off heat, toss with the lemon zest, juice, and a splash of pasta water until silky.
- Plate, scatter the toasted crumbs, parsley, parmesan, and black pepper.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Garlic-Lemon Spaghetti with Toasted Crumbs
Garlic-Lemon Spaghetti with Toasted Crumbs is a fast, pantry-driven pasta in the Italian aglio e olio tradition, where a few humble ingredients are coaxed into something greater than their parts. Garlic is sliced thin and gently infused in olive oil and butter with chili flakes until pale gold, then lemon zest and juice bring the acidity that keeps the dish from feeling flat. The clever move here is the topping: instead of breadcrumbs, plain flour is toasted dry in a pan until nutty and golden, standing in for that crunchy finish when you don't have stale bread on hand.
On the plate it's bright, garlicky, and a little spicy, with the lemon cutting the richness of the butter and oil while a splash of starchy pasta water pulls everything into a glossy, clinging sauce. The toasted flour-crumbs add a subtle savory crunch that catches on each strand, and parsley and Parmigiano round it out (leave the cheese off to keep it vegan). It's the kind of twenty-minute dinner you make when the fridge is bare but you still want something that feels considered, and it scales easily for a quick meal for two.
Garlic-Lemon Spaghetti with Toasted Crumbs: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Garlic-Lemon Spaghetti with Toasted Crumbs?
A serving has about 849 calories — 21g protein, 89.6g carbs, 45.6g fat, 4.6g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Garlic-Lemon Spaghetti with Toasted Crumbs gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Pasta, All-purpose flour. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for those ingredients to make it gluten-free.
Is Garlic-Lemon Spaghetti with Toasted Crumbs dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano. Swapping those for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
How long does Garlic-Lemon Spaghetti with Toasted Crumbs take to make?
About 20 minutes start to finish, but only around 14 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Garlic-Lemon Spaghetti with Toasted Crumbs?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out red pepper flakes, parsley, parmigiano-reggiano — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Garlic-Lemon Spaghetti with Toasted Crumbs make?
This recipe makes 2 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.