Brown Butter Bucatini with Walnuts
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An easy to make dish in less than 30 minutes, this Brown Butter Bucatini with Walnuts has the nutty flavor of browned butter coating the pasta and is topped with a ground walnut, parsley and lemon zest crumble. Plus cheese of course!
I’m excited that today’s post is sponsored by my friends over at California Walnut Board. Whether toasted to bring out their flavor more, chopped, sauced or used in lieu of pine nuts for pesto, walnuts are so versatile.
To keep them fresh, I usually keep mine in the freezer and pull them out when ready to cook or bake with. Like for this Brown Butter Bucatini with Walnuts.
Bucatini is a thick spaghetti-like pasta with a hole running through the center. I love the thickness of it and decided a simple browned butter would be my sauce of choice. Sure you could use a Bolognese Sauce, or Pesto, but since I had these wonderful walnuts an idea came to mind.
I chopped the walnuts in a food processor with some fresh parsley and lemon zest. Crumbled on top of the brown butter bucatini, it would accent the nutty brown butter and add some needed texture. Success! 🙂
Did you know that more than 99% of the walnuts in U.S. are grown in the fertile soils of California’s Central Valley? Internationally, California walnuts supply three-quarters of the world’s walnut trade. That’s pretty impressive! 🙂
You can keep that fresh taste of California walnuts by keeping them cold. Walnuts go rancid when exposed to warm temperatures for long periods of time. Heat causes the fat in walnuts to change structure, which creates off odors and flavors. Fresh walnuts smell mildly nutty and taste sweet.
But, back to this brown butter bucatini.
Talk about a super easy meal! While the pasta is boiling away you can make the browned butter. A few quick pulses in the food processor (or by hand, chopped) the walnuts, parsley and lemon zest get crumbled.
I love to get fresh pecorino-romano cheese and sprinkle that on top and with a squeeze of fresh lemon at serving, this is perfect.
Some more interesting walnut facts for you.
The California Walnut Board works closely with the University of California’s walnut breeding program to release new walnut varieties for planting that have been developed through conventional breeding methods.
Take a look at this video on How Walnuts are Processed. It’s pretty interesting.
If this Brown Butter Bucatini with Walnuts looks great but you feel it may need some protein to bulk it up, I quickly sautéed some chicken breasts and sliced them to go over the top. Served with fresh lemon slices and you’ll be set!
For other ways to use walnuts, check out my Chocolate Walnut Rolled Baklava, Chicken Spanakopita Rolls with Walnuts or try my other pasta dishes like my Ham and Cheese Pasta Rosettes or this Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta. Enjoy!
Thanks again to the California Walnut Board for sponsoring today’s post. Thank you for supporting the companies that continue to make Kevin Is Cooking possible.
Brown Butter Bucatini with Walnuts
Instructions
- In a food processor (or chop by hand) add the walnuts, parsley and zest from half a lemon. Process until crumb in form. Set aside.
To Make Brown Butter
- Melt butter over medium heat and swirl the sauté pan to be sure the butter cooks evenly.
- The butter will begin to foam and the color will change from yellow to golden to brown. Once you smell that nutty aroma, take the pan off the heat and allow to cool. It takes a few minutes total.
Pasta
- Cook bucatini per package directions.
- Toss cooked and drained pasta with browned butter and plate. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.Top each plate of bucatini with the walnut parsley mixture.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano cheese is desired and serve with slices of lemon to squeeze on top.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I am having the worst craving for pasta today, so this is killing me, Kevin! Looks SO good! I mean brown butter, pasta and walnuts?!? What’s not to love?! Pinning! Cheers, buddy!
Squeeze that lemon on top too. So good! Have a fantastic weekend Chey! 🙂
You know how I love bucatini, but you may not know how much I LOVE walnuts. This dish is totally calling my name!
Yes! Actually I was just telling Dorothy you were the one who told me about bucatini. Have a fantastic weekend!
Kevin – this dish looks absolutely amazing. I love the brown butter and the simplicity of the sauce. Sometimes, a simple sauce is just plain better. And the lemon gives it that fresh taste! I try to get all my pasta fresh over at Assenti’s pasta in Little Italy.
Thanks so much Danielle. The rich flavor of the browned butter and the lemon are fantastic on this. If getting fresh pasta I usually hit up Mona Lisa’s in Little Italy, but will have to check out Assenti’s. Thanks! 🙂
Hey Kevin. Bucatini is my favorite pasta, it has such a nice chew factor and brown butter is my go to for pasta and fish. I always keep nuts in the freezer, there is nothing worse than rancid nuts!
Hi Dorothy! Hope this finds you and Gary doing well. Yes, actually it was Marissa who told me about bucatini. I love it too! 🙂
This is one beautiful plate of food, my friend! I’d put that walnut crumble on everything! Happy Valentine’s Day! 🙂
Thanks for the kind words and for stopping by Annie. Happy Valentines to you and the hubs. Cheers!
I need to try this one, Kevin! You say brown butter and I’m right there!! Plus, the walnuts for texture and flavour? So much flavour packed on one plate! Pinned 🙂 Happy Valentine’s Day , my friend!
Thanks Dawn! I had some of the walnut parsley crumble leftover and had it sprinkled over chicken with lemon, so good! 🙂