Pasta with Garlic Butter
Pasta with garlic butter is the kind of supper you can make with whatever is left in the cupboard. Spaghetti is tossed with butter and olive oil in which chopped garlic has been fried gently until fragrant, then loosened with a little starchy pasta water so it turns glossy rather than greasy. Parmesan and parsley finish it. It serves four and takes 20 minutes from start to finish.
- Total
- 20 min
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 505kcal
Why pasta with garlic butter works
With so few ingredients, the technique counts. Frying the garlic gently in a mix of butter and oil keeps it sweet, and the olive oil lets the butter get hotter without burning. The starchy water from the pasta pan then binds the fat into a light sauce that clings to the spaghetti, instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
Use fresh garlic and unsalted butter so you can control the seasoning, as Parmesan adds salt as well. A squeeze of lemon at the end cuts through the richness.
How to cook pasta with garlic butter
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- Boil the pasta Fill a large pan with water, add a generous pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Cook the spaghetti for the time on the packet, until just tender. Scoop out a mugful of the cooking water before you drain the pasta.
- Fry the garlic While the pasta cooks, melt the butter with the olive oil in the frying pan over a low to medium heat. Add the garlic, with the chilli flakes if you are using them, and cook for , stirring, until it smells sweet and is pale gold. Take the pan off the heat at once if it begins to brown.
- Toss Return the drained pasta to its pan. Pour over the garlic butter and add 4 tbsp of the cooking water, then toss over a low heat for , until the sauce is glossy and coats the strands.
- Season and serve Add the Parmesan, parsley, sea salt, pepper and lemon juice, if using. Toss again, taste and add a splash more cooking water if it looks dry. Serve straight away in warm bowls with extra Parmesan.
Ways to change it
Add sliced mushrooms to the pan, as in pasta with mushrooms, or a handful of cooked prawns for pasta with prawns and garlic. Pasta with garlic butter is also a good side for steak with garlic butter.
It is best eaten the moment it is made, while the sauce is still glossy. Leftover pasta can be kept in the fridge for a day and reheated with a splash of water, but it will not be as good.
Common problems and fixes for pasta with Garlic Butter
- The garlic is bitter.
- It cooked for too long or on too high a heat. Fry it gently for no more than 2 minutes until pale gold, and start again with fresh garlic if it has gone dark brown.
- The pasta is greasy rather than glossy.
- It needs more starchy water. Add the cooking water a spoonful at a time and keep tossing so the butter and water come together into a light sauce.
- The pasta is dry and sticks together.
- It was left to stand after draining. Keep the garlic butter ready and toss the pasta in it straight away, loosening with cooking water as needed.
Frequently asked questions about pasta with Garlic Butter
Can I make garlic butter pasta without Parmesan?
Yes. Use Grana Padano or a mature vegetarian hard cheese, or leave the cheese out and add an extra squeeze of lemon for freshness.
Which pasta shape works best?
Long pasta such as spaghetti, linguine or tagliatelle holds the sauce well, but penne and fusilli work too.
Can I use garlic from a jar?
Fresh is better. Jarred garlic tastes sharper and a little sour, and it does not cook to the same sweet, nutty flavour.
How do I make it more filling?
Add cooked prawns, shredded cooked chicken or a handful of baby spinach, stirred through at the end.
How did you like the recipe?
4.7 / 5 · 36 ratings
