Description
Garlic butter pasta weaves Italian comfort with simplistic charm, delivering rich flavor through minimal ingredients. Silky noodles draped in golden butter and roasted garlic promise a quick, satisfying meal you’ll crave on busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) spaghetti or favorite pasta
Dairy and Seasonings:
- 4 tablespoons (60 grams) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (25 grams) grated Parmesan cheese
Aromatics and Herbs:
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Additional Components:
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) pasta water
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Fill a generously sized pot with water, sprinkle in salt, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Submerge pasta into the bubbling water, cooking precisely according to package guidelines until achieving a perfectly tender yet firm al dente texture.
- Before draining the pasta, carefully extract and set aside a quarter cup of the starchy cooking liquid.
- Position a spacious skillet on the stovetop, allowing butter to gently melt and transform over medium temperature.
- Introduce finely chopped garlic into the liquefied butter, stirring attentively to prevent burning while developing a delicate golden hue and releasing its aromatic essence.
- Sprinkle red pepper flakes into the fragrant butter mixture to impart a subtle, warming heat.
- Transfer the drained pasta directly into the skillet, ensuring each strand becomes luxuriously coated with the garlic-infused butter sauce.
- Expertly maneuver the pasta, tossing and twirling to distribute the sauce evenly, using reserved pasta water to create a silky, cohesive consistency if the mixture appears too dense.
- Season the dish with judicious amounts of salt and freshly cracked black pepper, adjusting to personal taste preferences.
- Present the pasta immediately while piping hot, optionally garnishing with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese and a scattering of vibrant, chopped fresh parsley for an elegant finishing touch.
Notes
- Preserve pasta’s perfect texture by cooking exactly to al dente, ensuring a delightful bite and preventing mushiness.
- Adjust garlic intensity by controlling cooking time; shorter cooking maintains a sharp flavor, while longer creates a mellow, nutty undertone.
- Accommodate dietary needs by swapping regular pasta with gluten-free or whole wheat options, maintaining the recipe’s core simplicity and robust flavor profile.
- Enhance nutritional value by incorporating extra vegetables like spinach or roasted cherry tomatoes directly into the garlic butter sauce for added depth and nutrients.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 30mg