Easy 20-minute garlic butter pasta that goes so well with any dish! It’s super quick and easy to make, and it may seem so simple but it holds a ton of flavor! Plain spaghetti is smothered in a decadent butter garlic sauce, then topped with freshly grated parmesan and parsley. Simple, and perfect!
Meet your family’s new favorite pasta! Garlic butter pasta with freshly grated parmesan cheese!
This buttered spaghetti, in my opinion, is real comfort food! I mean, I don’t mind eating it on its own, it’s really that good! But I often pair it with dishes such as chicken parmesan, creamy chicken and mushrooms, Tuscan chicken, and this chicken curry. You can pair it with any protein of your choice, it’s a family-friendly side and it’s very versatile. You can add a kick of spice or your favorite vegetables, it all works!
For more creamy pasta recipes, check out my garlic butter shrimp pasta, and my homemade alfredo sauce.
How to Make Garlic Butter Pasta
This pasta is all about the technique, to create the sauce you won’t need any heavy ingredients to make a beautiful creamy and silky sauce. In fact, we will be using pasta water here! Yes you heard right, you will have to reserve some of the pasta water and use it to create the smoothest pasta sauce ever!
Ingredients You’ll Need
It’s so simple, and you literally need just 6 ingredients that you already have in your kitchen! Pasta of your choice, butter, garlic, parmesan, parsley, and salt.
The Directions
- In a medium-sized saucepot, boil water and salt it. Add your pasta, and cook according to the package instructions. When the pasta is cooked, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta.
- To make the garlic butter sauce for pasta: In a skillet, melt butter on medium heat and saute the sliced garlic very lightly. Add the hot pasta along with a part of the pasta water, and toss it using kitchen tongs until a sort of thick sauce is coating the pasta. Keep on tossing and add more pasta water if needed.
- Remove from heat, and add freshly grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley leaves. Toss continuously and season with salt if needed. Serve warm with extra grated parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Recipe Video
While this recipe is so easy to make, it always helps to watch a quick video and I created one for you. Give it a watch below!
What to Serve With Parmesan Pasta
- Protein. Serve this parmesan pasta with chicken, steak, or fish. Or to create a meal, top the pasta with grilled or shredded chicken, or add shrimps.
- Salads. Fresh simple salads are the best! Plus, pasta and salad is a match made in heaven. Pair with a homemade Caesar salad, or keep things even simpler and healthy with this red cabbage slaw.
- Vegetables. Grilled and roasted vegetables work so well here, try this garlic butter pasta with roasted cauliflower, or even grilled portobello mushrooms.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Fridge: Store in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Reheat the pasta in a skillet over low-medium heat, and add a splash of water to thin out the sauce. Do the same if using the microwave.
- Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this garlic butter pasta, as I found that it breaks when frozen and reheated.
Recommended Portion Size
For pasta in general, the recommended portion size per person is 2-3oz (60-85 grams).
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Garlic Butter Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 oz (225g) pasta
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 3 cloves garlic sliced
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup parmesan
- ¼ cup parsley
Instructions
- In a medium-sized saucepot, boil water and salt it. Add your pasta, and cook according to the package instructions. When the pasta is cooked, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta.
- In a skillet, melt butter on medium heat and saute the sliced garlic very lightly.
- Add the hot pasta along with a part of the pasta water, and toss it using kitchen tongs until a sort of thick sauce is coating the pasta. Keep on tossing and add more pasta water if needed.
- Remove from heat, and add freshly grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley leaves. Toss continuously and season with salt if needed. Serve warm with extra grated parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- The recommended portion of pasta per person is 2-3oz (60-85 grams).
- Salt the water to cook the pasta just like sea water.
- You might not need to use all of the reserved pasta water, see how much you need to make the sauce as you make it.
- Fridge: Store in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Reheat the pasta in a skillet over low-medium heat, and add a splash of water to thin out the sauce. Do the same if using the microwave.
- Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this pasta, as I found that it breaks when frozen and reheated.
Marisa
What is the purpose of dividing the butter?
Diana
Hi Marisa, the butter is used to saute the garlic and then again to toss the noodles to emulsify with the pasta water and create a sauce. You might find the video useful!
kass
unsalted butter or salted ?
Diana
I usually use unsalted, but you can use salted butter if you prefer and adjust the salt to your liking.
Briana
Hi! is the calories per serving or for the entire thing? Thanks!
Diana
Per serving 😊
Melissa
So easy and so yummy!
I didn’t have parsley so I used chives instead. Mmm! Totally satisfied my cheese craving.
Jimmy
Love that there is no cream in the recipe. Sauce was so rich and delicious! I added sauteed mushrooms and peas.
Sally Noltemeyer
Delish and so simple! Thank you.
Penny Hyder
Sounds good and quick !