Garlic Butter Pasta Recipe

 

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Total: 20 mins

Servings: 2 servings

Yield: 2 bowls

Garlic butter pasta is a simple yet delicious dish that combines the rich flavors of garlic and butter with perfectly cooked pasta. This version includes chard and Parmesan cheese for added texture and flavor, but you can customize it to your liking. Here’s how to make it:

Ingredients

• Kosher salt, to taste
• 8 ounces spaghetti or bucatini
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup chard or spinach, roughly chopped (optional)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. Cook the Pasta:

   • Set a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Salt the water with roughly one tablespoon of salt per gallon of water.
   • Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Prepare the Garlic Butter:

   • Pour the cooked pasta into a colander to drain and return the pot to the stove over medium heat.
   • Add the butter and the chopped garlic to the pot. Stir and avoid browning the garlic.
   • After a minute or two, when the garlic begins to sizzle and soften, add the chard or spinach (if using) and stir for one minute.

4. Combine and Serve:

   • Add the cooked pasta back to the pot, along with the grated Parmesan, salt, and pepper to taste.
   • Toss everything to combine.
   • Serve immediately.

Tips

• Perfect Pasta: Try not to overcook the pasta. Check on it as it’s cooking, and drain it just before you think it’s perfect. When you taste a noodle and you think to yourself, "maybe one more minute," that's the time to pull it off the stove. The noodles will continue to soften as they steam in the colander and then mix with the hot butter in the pot. By the time they’re on the plate, they will be perfectly al dente.
• Garlic Cooking: The goal of cooking the garlic butter is to soften the flavor of raw garlic and to infuse the butter with the garlic’s flavor. This doesn’t take long because the tiny pieces of garlic cook quickly. If the garlic cooks too much, it may start to turn brown. Browned garlic has an unpleasant bitterness that is best avoided in this dish, so when the garlic butter starts to sizzle, take it off the heat.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

• Calories: 440
• Fat: 25g
• Carbs: 41g
• Protein: 14g

Enjoy your garlic butter pasta as a comforting meal that’s both quick and satisfying!