Have You Made the Amazing Alison Roman’s Caramelized Shallot Pasta?
Have you made the amazing Alison Roman’s Caramelized Shallot Pasta? We discovered this pasta dish during the pandemic and it continues to be in our regular rotation of dinner recipes today.
The shallots, caramelized in the olive oil until golden-brown, make the recipe. It’s all about the shallots. But add in the tomato paste for some tanginess and anchovies for the saltiness and you have a very unique combination of flavors that few other dishes can rival (Alison Roman).
How much pasta should I use for this recipe?
When we first made this pasta, I guess we weren’t paying attention and used an entire box of Bucatini pasta which is typically 16-ounces. Alison Roman’s recipe calls for 10-ounces which makes the pasta and flavor a lot more intense. We also made it with a full box on many other occasions and even used only half the sauce (as recommended), and it was still delicious. But as you can imagine, it’s even better with the correct amount of pasta.
Is this recipe good reheated as leftovers?
We think the answer to that question is a resounding yes! But there are a few things to consider that will make the leftovers better.
If you’re using the entire box of pasta, use approximately 2/3 of the sauce and save 1/3 for leftovers. That way your pasta gets the real intensity of this dish. And save a cup pasta water for reheating.
To reheat, place the leftovers in a large saucepan, add a little bit of the pasta water and warm the pasta over low heat. This way, pasta remains moist and is not dried out.
What to do with the rest of the caramelized shallot sauce?
The original recipe calls for 10-ounces of pasta and says to use only half the sauce. You could always save the rest and make more pasta on another night, but here are a few ideas and ways that we have used the sauce other than pasta! Just store it in the fridge in an airtight container.
- Use it for a tartine with poached eggs on top
- Smear it on a crusty piece of bread, toasted or just fresh bread
- Add it to an omelet or a fried egg
- Mix it in with some roasted root vegetables, potatoes, or sweet potatoes, and sprinkle with a little of the chopped parsley and tender stems, and garlic mixture
- Add it to a panini with fresh mozzarella and basil
How many anchovies should I use for this recipe?
This recipe calls for a 2 ounce can. And that’s what we do. That’s about 12 small anchovy filets. If anchovies make you nervous, try using just a few or maybe half the tin. You could skip anchovies altogether, but we wouldn’t recommend that. They add such a rich umami flavor that makes the recipe so unique and delicious!
The equipment you’ll need for Alison Roman’s caramelized shallot pasta recipe
- Large measuring cup (for the pasta water)
- Pasta pot
- Large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or skillet
- Pasta strainer or colander
- Sharp kitchen knife
- Cutting board
The Ingredients that you’ll need to make caramelized shallot pasta!
- Pasta (bucatini or spaghetti works well)
- Kosher salt for the pasta water
- Shallots
- Garlic clove
- Anchovies
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes
- Olive oil
- Parsley leaves
If you liked this recipe, you might want to try this one as well:
PrintAlison Roman’s Caramelized Shallot Pasta
When you make this pasta for the first time…I promise, you will wonder where it has been your whole life! It’s that delicious!
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Pasta
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 6 large shallots, sliced very thin
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- 1 (2-ounce) can anchovy fillets, drained, but not rinsed.
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste or one (4.5-ounce) tube of tomato paste
- 10 ounces bucatini pasta (with reserved pasta water…don’t forget)!
- 1 cup parsley, chopped (combine parsley with one minced garlic clove)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a heavy dutch oven (I used my Le Creuset) over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and the garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the shallots have softened with golden brown edges. This takes about 20 minutes
- Add red-pepper flakes and anchovies drained and straight from the can. No need to chop them. They will dissolve when they’re cooked. Stir to combine the anchovies with the shallots, about 2 minutes.
- Add tomato paste and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly to prevent any scorching, until the tomato paste has started to cook in the oil a bit, caramelizing at the edges, and turning from a bright red color to a deeper brick color, about 2 minutes
- Remove the pot from the heat and transfer about half of the sauce into a jar or small bowl, leaving the rest behind. (These are the leftovers that you can use for a future dish).
- Fill another large pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions or until very al-dente. Save a cup of pasta water when draining (save more to use for reheating leftovers). Transfer the cooked pasta to a Dutch oven with the remaining shallot mixture and one cup of pasta water. Cook over medium-high heat, tossing the pasta with the shallot mixture to coat each piece of pasta, use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any bits at the bottom until the pasta is a thick sauce and is reduced and is sticky, but not saucy, 3 to 5 minutes. Divide pasta into bowls or one large serving bowl and top with a little chopped garlic and fresh parsley mixture.
Notes
Make sure that you use the correct amount of pasta. This recipe calls for 10-ounces and most boxes of pasta are a pound, so you’ll want to take some out!
Also, you’ll want to undercook your pasta a little because it continues to cook once you transfer it to the Dutch oven with the sauce and add the reserved pasta water.
Gorgeous Annie – this looks SO good and SO simple! I actually wrote a post about saving the pasta water – which I ALWAYS forget to do. I put the measuring cup in the strainer so that it’s staring me in the face before I pour the pasta in! Thank you as always for including me! xoxo
Annie I love everything about this post. I’m such a foodie and I can’t wait to try this recipe. And I found it interesting how this dish gave you the idea for this virtual progressive dinner, I love hearing what inspires us. The table is perfect for it’s simple beauty. And I would love to be a guest sitting here. Actually I’d make sure I got a tour of your home while I was there too. I just love how unique and artistic your decorating style is. Thank you so much for including me in this fun idea, it’s so timely. A wonderful little distraction in the midst of so much seriousness in the world. I hope you and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy.
xo
Leslie
This pasta is amazing. So flavorful and delicious. Try it tonight. I added some cremini mushrooms sautéed before the scallions. Love loved it. The flavor is fabulous.
oooohhhh….now I want to try it with cremini mushrooms! That sounds so good!!
Oh boy I am making this on the weekend. I try to behave during the week but cheat on the weekend. We have a fabulous fresh pasta purveyor in Paso called Etto. I am popping in (I hope they are considered essential) for some fresh bucatini. Your table is absolutely heavenly as well. My branches are all bloomed out, but my roses are on their way. This was such a great idea. You are a genius!!
Annie fun idea doing a virtual one. I hope one day a real progressive dinner could happen. I just love the idea and a safari dinner is an even more fun name. Your table looks so natural and pretty with the un-ironed linen and the branches. I love it so much! xo
Your table is so simple and beautiful and I can’t wait to try the pasta recipe. Would you mind sharing where your tablecloth is from? Thank you!
OK, I’ll order these ingredients on my next instacart order. I”ve been wondering about this dish. I adore Allison Roman!!
Sandra! We do too! Everything she makes is amazing, but this one…my favorite! And the leftovers too!
Hi Annie! Fabulous dinner you have going on here! Your pasta dish sounds absolutely heavenly, and I’ll just leave off the anchovies and parm since I’m mostly vegan these days with my restrictions. The branches look so organic and lovely – thank you for inviting us to the dinner table–which has perhaps become more sacred than ever. Peace to you, friend.
Hi Michele! That is so true about the dinner table! My kids are both home and it’s like when they were in school and they were home for dinner every night! As far as leaving out the anchovies, my husband prefers it that way and you won’t miss the parm one bit…the sauce speaks for itself! Stay well and have a beautiful day!
You did not mention when and if you ended up putting in any of the pasta water, which I assume you would do, to help coat the pasta with the thick sauce. I saw you make this on Stephen Colbert, and we never saw how you completed the dish exactly.
Hi Lisa! Sorry! I’ll make that correction, but you are right…it’s just at the end as needed to coat the pasta so it’s not dry! Thank you for bringing that to my attention.
I added a titch of lemon zest t the side of my plate. It was so good I added it to the rest. Probably would be even better with Meyer Lemon?
Oh I’ll bet lemon zest was a wonderful addition. So fresh!
Why am I saving a cup of pasta water?
I’m cooking this tonight and can’t wait! Can I cook the sauce this morning up to the point of dividing it in half? Can I freeze the leftover sauce or how long would it keep in the fridge? Thank you!
Hi Chris! You can definitely make it ahead! That’s what I love about this recipe! It’s very versatile. I think it’s perfectly safe to keep it in the refrigerator and use within a week or freeze it. I hope you love it!
Thanks Annie, half the sauce is in the freezer and the other half was over-eaten! DH reeeally loved it.
ahhhh…so happy to hear you loved it!!
Once half has been removed how many people will the rest serve.. I’d like to cook this tomorrow for 4 people?
Thanks
Hi Anthony,
It serves four with a pound of pasta using only half. Let me know if you make it! It’s soooo good!
Annie
Sorry if this is a silly question- is there a reason if the sauce is so good, you just wouldn’t use all of it and have a good amount or would it overwhelm the noodles? Thx!
Hi Ashley! You’re right, you could use the sauce that way, but it’s so good to use for another meal and we love to cook once and eat twice. But pasta drenched in this sauce…would be amazing! It’s sooooo good!
This is very delicious. I came here because I hit a NYT pay wall when I tried to get the original recipe, which I have made few times. The only thing I highly recommend from the original is adding the flakey salt and garlic to the parsley “salad” that you top the pasta with. Parmesan isn’t necessary but I like it on this.
Hi Kim! I will try that next time! It’s one of my favorite pasta dishes!
This recipe is so close to a very rustic pasta , Aglio Olio. With the anchovies , parsley and garlic..another wonderful pasta fush. I will try this when I can manage to lose 15 pounds🤦♀️
It’s so good!! And yes, very rustic with rich dark color!
What a fab idea – will be suggesting this to friends once we are allowed a bit of mixing again! Love your photos too 😍
Yes! Non-virtual progressive dinner parties are so much fun…hopefully summer? Maybe!
This pasta dish is delicious! My husband raved about it.
It’s the best pasta! And the leftovers are amazing on warm bread as a spread!
I expected this recipe to be a flavor bomb. I mean really, garlic, anchovies, shallot, red pepper – that’s gotta be unbelievable. But…it wasn’t! So I experimented a bit and humbly offer this addition at the end (just before you add the parsley/garlic topping): lemon juice. It kicks this recipe to the moon – at least it did for me. Hopefully it works for you, too!
Thanks, Bob! We will definitely try a squeeze of lemon at the end next time!
This was so good! I love when a recipe has a few ingredients but tastes delicious! I initially saw this on NYT but it was hidden behind a pay wall and this was the only other decent one I came across. Glad I found this!
Me too Deborah! Try using the leftover sauce on toasted bread! It’s beyond!! ❤️
This virtual progressive dinner party idea is simply delightful! Loved the creative recipes and the community feel. Great job!