Description
This Garlic Butter Pasta recipe is a simple yet flavorful dish featuring perfectly cooked pasta tossed in a rich garlic butter sauce enhanced with parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Ideal for a quick weeknight dinner, it's creamy, garlicky, and easy to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 ounces dried pasta such as spaghetti, linguine, or any other long or short pasta
Garlic Butter Sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Boil water in a saucepot and salt it generously to mimic sea water. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta.
- Prepare the Sauce: In a skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and sauté until fragrant and lightly golden, about 1-2 minutes. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet along with some reserved pasta water to create a saucy consistency. Toss well to coat the pasta evenly.
- Finish the Dish: Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the grated parmesan cheese to the skillet. Toss everything together until the butter is melted and the cheese has formed a creamy sauce coating the pasta. Remove from heat, then stir in the chopped fresh parsley. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste. Serve immediately with extra parmesan on top if desired.
Notes
- The recommended portion of pasta per person is 2-3 ounces (60-85 grams).
- Salting the pasta water generously is essential to enhance pasta flavor, simulating the taste of sea water.
- You may not need to use all of the reserved pasta water; add gradually to achieve desired sauce consistency.
- If parmesan is unavailable, Pecorino Romano can be used as a substitute.
- Use fresh garlic rather than pre-minced for best flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
