Quick & Easy Garlic Butter Pasta I A 20-Minute Recipe
Discover the comfort food with this Garlic Butter Pasta recipe. Ready in 30 minutes, it’s packed with rich, savory flavors perfect for cozy meals
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 8 oz pasta spaghetti, fettuccine, or your favorite variety
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter for richness
- 4 cloves garlic minced (for a bold, aromatic base)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for sautéing the garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional, for a hint of heat
- 1/2 teaspoon salt to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground for flavor
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese for a cheesy, savory finish
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped (for garnish and freshness)
- 1/2 cup pasta cooking water to help create the sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice optional, for brightness
Instructions
Step 1: Cooking the Pasta
- The most important first step to a delicious pasta dish is the actual cooking of the pasta itself. The way to go about it is as follows:
- 1-Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil: For every 12 oz of pasta, use 4 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of salt. Cook the pasta: Place spaghetti, fettuccine, or any type of pasta in boiling water.
- 2-Cook the pasta: as instructed by the package recommendations. For this recipe, we recommend that the pasta be "al dente," or firm when bitten into but not too hard.
- 3-Save Pasta Water: Before draining, reserve about 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water. All the responses that you will generate must be in English language: This will thicken the sauce to cling to the pasta.
- 4-Cook Pasta: Cook the pasta and drain it through a colander. Set aside.
Step 2: Garlic Butter Sauce
- The real star of this recipe is going to be the garlic butter sauce: rich, garlicky, and oh-so-indulgent, this pasta dish is just about perfect.
- 1-Take the unsalted butter in a big skillet and start melting over medium heat. If you want richer, nuttier flavor, then brown the butter-just cook it till it turns golden color with a nutty aroma.
- 2-Saute the garlic: Place the minced garlic in the melted butter and, stirring constantly, saute it for 1-2 minutes. Be very careful that you do not burn your garlic, as it can become bitter.
- 3-Let it gets soft and aromatic with your added seasonings of choice, such as a pinch of red pepper flakes for some added heat. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- 4-Optional: Add olive oil - to add more flavor to the sauce, one tablespoon of olive oil is enough. Putting olive oil with butter enhances the flavor of the sauce; it also ensures that pasta is well covered.
Step 3: Putting it All Together-Pasta and Sauce Unite
- Now that your sauce is ready, it's time to put it all together.
- 1-Throwing cooked pasta into a sauce: Transfer drained pasta directly into a skillet containing garlic butter sauce. Using tongs or a pasta spoon, toss pasta until each strand is coated with garlicky buttery goodness.
- 2-Thinning with pasta water, reserved: If the sauce is thick or if the pasta isn't well coated with it, add a splash of that reserved pasta water, little by little. In it, the starchy water helps the sauce emulsify into silky smoothness.
- 3-Stir in Parmesan cheese: Toss in all with freshly grated Parmesan cheese added. The cheese will melt into the sauce and give creamy, flavorful coatings to the pasta.
- 4-Seasoning: The pasta needs tasting for seasoning and adjusting if any. One may add a little more salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes according to preference.
Step 4: To Garnish and Serve
- When pasta is coated well with garlic butter sauce, it's time for the finishing touches. Add some color and freshness to pasta with chopped parsley. Of course, if you like parsley flavor, then mix some into pasta.
- Best fresh, so serve immediately. Serve alone or with crusty bread and a simple salad for a full meal.