Description
Creamy garlic butter pasta delivers comfort in minutes with simple ingredients. Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs elevate this classic Italian-inspired dish you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz (340 g) spaghetti or favorite pasta
- 4 tbsps (60 g) unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup (25 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsps chopped fresh parsley
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup (60 ml) pasta water
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Boiling Preparation: Fill a large pot with water, generously salt, and bring to a vigorous boil over high heat for optimal pasta cooking.
- Pasta Cooking: Immerse pasta into the boiling water, preparing to cook until achieving a perfect al dente texture according to package instructions.
- Liquid Preservation: Carefully reserve a quarter cup of starchy cooking liquid before draining the pasta, which will later help create a smooth sauce.
- Butter Transformation: Melt butter in a spacious skillet over medium heat, allowing it to become golden and aromatic without scorching.
- Flavor Infusion: Add finely minced garlic to the melted butter, stirring continuously to develop a rich, golden color and release its intense fragrance, then incorporate red pepper flakes for a gentle warmth.
- Sauce Integration: Transfer drained pasta directly into the skillet, thoroughly coating each strand with the garlic-butter mixture, using reserved pasta water to achieve a silky, harmonious texture.
- Seasoning Finalization: Adjust the dish with salt and freshly ground black pepper to personal taste, ensuring a perfectly balanced flavor profile.
- Elegant Presentation: Serve immediately while steaming hot, elegantly garnishing with grated Parmesan cheese and freshly chopped parsley for a refined culinary finish.
Notes
- Preserve Pasta Water: Save the starchy liquid before draining; it’s a secret weapon for creating a smooth, silky sauce that helps ingredients bind perfectly.
- Prevent Garlic Burning: Maintain medium heat and constantly stir chopped garlic to achieve a golden color without bitter, scorched flavors that can ruin the dish.
- Master Al Dente Technique: Cook pasta just until tender with a slight bite; overcooking leads to mushy texture and destroys the pasta’s elegant traditional character.
- Customize Heat Level: Adjust red pepper flakes quantity to match personal spice tolerance, creating a personalized flavor profile that suits individual preferences.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 53 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg