Brown Butter Parmesan Pasta (Print View)

Golden butter and Parmesan coat tender noodles for an easy, elegant Italian-inspired dinner.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz spaghetti or fettuccine
02 - Salt, for pasta water

→ Sauce

03 - 7 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 3 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
06 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti or fettuccine and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
02 - While the pasta cooks, melt the unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the butter turns golden brown and develops a nutty aroma, about 3 to 4 minutes. If using, add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
03 - Transfer the drained pasta to the skillet with brown butter. Toss thoroughly to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky consistency.
04 - Remove the skillet from heat. Add freshly grated Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper. Toss until the cheese melts and the sauce clings to the pasta.
05 - Divide pasta among plates. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and extra Parmesan, if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • This is the secret dish I pull out when I want to impress without breaking a sweat—no one ever suspects how fast it comes together.
  • The nutty brown butter paired with melty, salty Parmesan just tastes a little more special than your usual pasta night.
02 -
  • If you turn your back for a second, the butter can go from perfect to burnt—hover over it like it’s gold (because it is).
  • Adding the cheese off the heat is the trick to avoiding a stringy or clumpy sauce—this changed everything for me.
03 -
  • Warming the serving bowls ahead of time keeps the pasta saucy and luscious while you eat.
  • The moment butter smells nutty and deep brown flecks appear, pull it off the heat for perfect flavor—trust your nose.
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