Food and Recipes Pasta Garlicky Black Walnut-Breadcrumb Pasta Be the first to rate & review! A sprinkle of walnut-studded breadcrumbs is a good contrast to delicate pasta. By Ann Taylor Pittman Ann Taylor Pittman For 20 years, Ann Taylor Pittman built a career of creating healthy recipes at Cooking Light magazine, where she most recently served as Executive Editor. She is the recipient of two James Beard Foundation Awards: a feature writing award and a cookbook award. She is now a freelancer specializing in recipe development, writing, and video. Follow her on Instagram. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on August 28, 2024 Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Learn more about the Southern Living Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Shell Royster Active Time: 30 mins Total Time: 25 mins Servings: 6 The spicy heat of garlic and red pepper flakes lifts up the flavor of the black walnuts in this fast-fix fall dinner recipe. Toasty panko, savory Parmesan, and bright lemon work their magic, yielding a crunchy yet creamy pasta that’s both unexpected and extremely comforting. Make sure you toast the walnuts before adding them to the pasta; the gentle heat coaxes out their flavorful oils, enhancing their buttery richness. Ingredients 1 (16-oz.) pkg. spaghetti 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for salting water 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter 5 Tbsp. olive oil, divided 2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs 1/2 cup toasted chopped black walnuts 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup) 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper 1 1/2 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated with a Microplane grater (about 1 cup) 1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest plus 3 Tbsp. fresh juice (from 1 lemon) 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley Directions Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high. Add spaghetti; prepare according to package directions, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, heat butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium. Add panko; cook, stirring often, until browned and toasted, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in walnuts; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Remove panko mixture from skillet, setting aside in a small bowl (wipe skillet clean). Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water; drain spaghetti, and set aside at room temperature. Heat remaining 4 tablespoons oil in skillet over medium-low. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring often, until garlic is light golden, about 2 minutes. Add drained spaghetti, 3/4 cup of the reserved cooking water, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, and salt; toss well to coat. Cook over medium-low, stirring constantly, until spaghetti is glossy and sauce clings to spaghetti, about 3 minutes. (Add additional cooking water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed, until sauce is silky.) Stir in parsley and panko mixture. Serve immediately. Rate It Print