Brown Butter Parmesan Pasta (Printable version)

Rich pasta with nutty butter, Parmesan, and hints of garlic; ready in 25 minutes for weeknight elegance.

# What You Need:

→ 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 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
02 - Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, swirling occasionally until it turns golden brown and develops a nutty aroma, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add minced garlic, if desired, and sauté for 30 seconds.
03 - Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the brown butter. Toss to coat, gradually adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a smooth, silky sauce.
04 - Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the grated Parmesan and black pepper, tossing continuously until the cheese melts and the pasta is evenly coated.
05 - Transfer to serving plates. Garnish with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan, if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The nutty scent of brown butter will make your whole kitchen feel like an Italian trattoria—trust me, it’s the kind of aroma you don’t forget.
  • This is my go-to dinner when I want to feel fancy with almost no effort at all, and it always impresses at the table.
02 -
  • I once scorched the butter by stepping away too long—keep your eye on it every second or it’ll bitter fast.
  • Realizing that adding cheese off the heat gave me silky, smooth sauce instead of a clumpy mess was a total game changer.
03 -
  • Take the butter off the heat the moment it smells nutty—waiting even 10 seconds too long can push it too far.
  • Reserving pasta water is non-negotiable; it brings the whole sauce together.
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