By Beleaev Family | International Caviar & Gourmet, Head Office London | beleaev.com
Lemon linguine with caviar is the lighter cousin to spaghetti with brown butter and caviar. The lemon brightens everything, the linguine catches the butter beautifully, and the caviar provides salt and texture. Twelve minutes from start to plate.
Key Takeaways
- Use bronze-die linguine for proper sauce-clinging
- Lemon zest goes in the pasta, juice goes lightly at the end
- Don't add caviar to the pan, top off the heat
- 25g of [Oscietra](https://beleaev.com/products/royal-oscietra-caviar-copy) per person
- Serve in warm shallow bowls
The Ingredients
Serves 2
- 200g linguine (bronze-die preferred)
- 60g unsalted butter
- 1 lemon (zest and 1 tsp juice)
- 1 tbsp finely sliced chives
- 50g Royal Oscietra
- Sea salt for the pasta water
- Cracked black pepper
The Method
Step 1: Boil and Salt
Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Salt heavily. Drop in the linguine. Cook to 1 minute under packet al dente time.
Step 2: Make the Sauce
While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the lemon zest. Don't brown the butter, keep it pale.
Step 3: Combine
Reserve 100ml of pasta water. Drain the pasta and tip into the lemon-butter pan. Toss with tongs. Loosen with pasta water if needed. Add the lemon juice. Taste for salt.
Step 4: Cool and Top
Wait 60-90 seconds for the pasta to drop below 60C. Twirl into nests on warm plates. Spoon 25g of caviar into the centre of each nest. Scatter chives. Crack a small amount of black pepper at the edge.
Tips for Getting It Right
Bronze-die pasta clings sauce. The rougher surface holds butter better than smooth modern pasta.
Don't brown the butter for this version. The lemon needs the butter to stay pale and clean. Brown butter masks the lemon.
Lemon juice lightly. A teaspoon is enough. More overwhelms the caviar.
Cool before topping. Above 60C, caviar pearls go chalky.
Variations and Pairings
With Beluga: Use 35g of Beluga XXL per portion. Skip the chives.
With prawns: Add 8 cooked prawns to each portion alongside the caviar.
With chilli: Add 1 finely sliced bird's-eye chilli to the butter for heat.
Wine pairing: A flinty Sancerre or Vermentino.
For more pasta dishes, see our spaghetti with caviar and brown butter and tagliatelle with caviar and cream recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference vs spaghetti caviar?
This version uses lemon and pale butter for a lighter, brighter dish. The classic spaghetti version uses brown butter for a nuttier, deeper flavour. Both excellent, different in spirit.
How much caviar per person for pasta?
25-30g per person is the proper restaurant portion. Less feels stingy. More overwhelms the pasta.
Can I use bottled lemon juice?
No. Fresh lemon juice and zest are essential. Bottled lemon has a flat, slightly chemical flavour that fights the caviar.
Can I make this dairy-free?
Use a high-quality vegan butter (Naturli or Flora Plant Block). The texture will be slightly different but the dish still works.
Further Reading
A bowl of lemon linguine with caviar on a Tuesday evening is the kind of midweek dinner that turns the day around. Discover Beleaev's caviar collection at beleaev.com.
Beleaev is an international caviar and gourmet house headquartered in London, with fulfilment hubs across the UK, Europe, the UAE, and the United States. We deliver responsibly farmed Beluga, Oscietra, Sevruga, and Kaluga caviar to customers in each region within 24 to 48 hours.
447706084493
