Classic Garlic Butter Pasta Dinner
A simple yet delicious pasta dish featuring a rich garlic butter sauce, fresh parsley, and Parmesan cheese. Perfect for a quick and satisfying weeknight meal.
Equipment
- Large pot
- Large skillet or saucepan
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound your favorite pasta Spaghetti, fettuccine, or linguine work wonderfully.
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter Good quality butter makes a difference here.
- 4-6 garlic Minced, the more the merrier if you're a garlic lover!
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley Chopped, for a burst of freshness.
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese Plus more for serving.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper To taste.
- Red pepper flakes Optional: for a little kick.
Instructions
Cooking Steps
- Bring generously salted water to a rolling boil in a large pot and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat, being careful not to brown it too quickly.
- Add the minced garlic to the melted butter and sauté gently for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, ensuring it doesn't brown; optionally, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Drain the pasta and immediately add it to the skillet with the garlic butter, then add about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water, chopped parsley, and half of the Parmesan cheese.
- Toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated, adding more pasta water if needed for a smooth sauce; season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately with extra Parmesan.