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a bowl full of butter spaghetti garnished with red pepper flakes
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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
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 5 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

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