Easy and Perfect Butter Pasta Recipe

It’s butter pasta to the rescue when you don’t feel like cooking. Buttery pasta with Parmesan, lemon and fresh garlic.

If you like this recipe, check out my Burrata Pasta next!

Did schools still teach home economics when you were a kid? They did when I was in high school in the late 1980’s. I think they still should. It is valuable for kids to learn the basics of cooking and feeding oneself – the math and measurements, budgeting, menu planning, self reliance and so much more in a classroom setting. But maybe that’s what Tik Tok is for these days?

I’m publishing this easy garlic butter pasta recipe because it’s a simple dish that everyone should have in their collection. Starting with simply how to boil water. And then flavoring a humble box of pasta and turning it into nourishing comfort food.

More easy main dish recipes

• Simple Chicken Burrito Bowls
• Thai One Pot Pasta
• Tortellini Broth Bowls

Ingredients for butter pasta

• Pasta – I like spaghetti for this recipe, or other long noodles like bucatini. But feel free to use your own favorite pasta shape. The recipe is written for one 16 ounce box of pasta.
• Butter – I think six tablespoons of butter is enough for one box of pasta. You can use salted or unsalted butter, whatever you have on hand.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic is stirred into the hot buttery pasta right before serving. I use just one or two garlic cloves but feel free to use more if you really like the taste of garlic.
• Fresh Lemon Juice – I like the acidic punch the lemon juice provides. It helps to brighten the overall flavor of the butter pasta.
• Variations – Instead of water, you could boil the pasta in chicken broth for more flavor. Easily add some protein by topping the butter pasta with rotisserie chicken or cooked shrimp. Toss in some red pepper flakes if you like spice (as pictured). Or add some chopped fresh parsley for color and a fresh herby flavor.

Kitchen tips

• Generously salt your pasta water to help flavor your pasta
• Place a wooden spoon across the top of your pot to keep the water from boiling over (it works even if the spoon isn’t wooden – I’ve used a heat-safe rubber spatula before)
• Reserve some of the pasta cooking water before you drain the cooked pasta – adding this with the butter makes for a creamier sauce for the finished pasta

Storage directions

Store any leftovers in an airtight container. It will stay fresh in the fridge for up to three days. I don’t recommend freezing the leftover cooked pasta.

Print Pin

5 from 6 votes

Easy and Perfect Butter Pasta

It's butter pasta to the rescue when you don't feel like cooking. Buttery pasta with Parmesan, lemon and fresh garlic.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword butter pasta, butter pasta recipe, butter spaghetti, buttered spaghetti

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 419kcal

Author Foodtastic Mom

Equipment

• 1 Stockpot

Ingredients

• 16 oz pasta I used spaghetti
• 1 tbsp salt
• 6 tbsp butter salted or unsalted - whatever you have on hand
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 tbsp red pepper flakes optional

Start Cooking

Instructions

• Fill a large stock pot about 3/4 full with cold water and add the salt. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions (usually 10 - 12 minutes).
• Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water and drain the rest. Place the cooked and drained spaghetti back into the pot over low heat.
• Add the butter, lemon juice and garlic. Add the reserved pasta water a little at a time and stir the cooked pasta until the butter is melted and the pasta looks sauced. You may not need the full 1/2 cup of the reserved water. Turn the heat off.
• Toss in the Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes with the pasta. Serve immediately. 

Nutrition

Calories: 419kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 1413mg | Potassium: 213mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 811IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 1mg

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