Pasta with butter and Parmesan appeals to nearly everyone. This pasta’s brilliance lies in it’s simplicity, universal appeal, and endless add-in options.
What can I add to plain pasta?
We’re all for simplicity. But to lend a little more oomph to this pasta for not-so-picky palates, consider author Aviva Goldfarb’s suggestions to serve it with a pinch of black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, toasted pine nuts, canned clams, or crumbled bacon. Um, one at a time, please.
Pasta with Butter and Parmesan
Ingredients
Directions
Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions.
After the spaghetti has been cooking for about 5 minutes, heat the butter and olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. After the butter has melted, stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm.
Drain the spaghetti, return it to the pot, and stir in the garlic butter and the salt. Toss with the parsley, if using, and serve with the Parmesan on the side. Originally published April 22, 2010.
Recipe Testers' Reviews
This is a good weeknight staple. Easy, quick, and made from pretty much what one has on hand in the pantry. It’s quite garlicky for my liking, so the next time I make it I’ll cut the garlic back by half. I added cracked black pepper to this instead of pepperoncino and a bit of the pasta cooking water to make it a bit saucier. I also added the cheese to the pasta prior to tossing and served extra alongside, as I’m a cheese fiend. I served some grilled garlic shrimp and rapini along with this and it made for a satisfying and quick meal.
Pasta with butter is every Italian kid's favourite meal! To be honest, it is still a guilty pleasure of mine. There is nothing more comforting and it is literally one of the fastest things to cook. This is just a slightly more "adult" version with the addition of garlic and parsley, but the great thing about it is that it is simple enough to customize to your own taste. It is perfect for a weeknight...or late night...or when you're starving and can't be bothered to cook anything that requires any effort. This simple pasta with butter and Parmesan has, and always will be, a staple in our house.
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My first time making this type of pasta, everyone loved it! Too easy! Thank you!
Wonderful! So pleased to hear this, Simone.
This is delicious I made for me and my friends!
Naiah, so delighted you and your buds liked it!
This is my all time favorite way to have spaghetti. I also use many different homemade (is there any other way) sauces, and they have all been adjusted and readjusted over the years to be the best they can be… all yummy, one and all. But… how can you beat just plain ol’ salty spaghetti and butter, which is all this recipe basically is, allowing that we’ll all use more or less garlic, butter, or pepper (which is absent from this recipe, along with an optional squeeze of lemon and a grate or two of fresh Parmesan) to make it our own. There is nothing wrong with keeping it simple.
Well said, Dal!
Delicious, it truly is simply irresistible.
Thanks, Ella!
Such a success. Everyone loved it.
Wonderful! Thanks, Kimmy.