Garlic Butter Pasta Parmesan (Print Version)

Creamy garlic butter pasta with Parmesan, tossed with fresh parsley. An easy, elegant Italian main.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

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

→ Garlic Butter

03 - 6 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 5 cloves garlic, finely minced

→ Main & Finish

05 - 2 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
06 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
07 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
08 - 2 tbsp reserved pasta cooking water
09 - Zest of 1 lemon (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 2–3 tablespoons of the pasta water before draining.
02 - Meanwhile, melt unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until aromatic but not browned, about 1–2 minutes.
03 - Add drained pasta to the skillet with the garlic butter. Toss to coat evenly. Pour in the reserved pasta water and half of the grated Parmesan. Toss until the sauce is creamy and coats the noodles.
04 - Remove skillet from the heat. Stir in parsley, remaining Parmesan, and lemon zest if using. Adjust seasoning with freshly ground black pepper.
05 - Divide pasta among plates and garnish with extra Parmesan and parsley as desired. Serve immediately.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • Garlic, butter, and Parmesan combine for truly restaurant-worthy flavor that’s secretly effortless.
  • There’s flexibility built in—it’s just as good with last-minute veggie add-ins or a twist of lemon zest.
02 -
  • Letting the garlic brown even a little will tip the flavor towards bitter—watch closely when it hits the butter.
  • Reserving just a splash of starchy pasta water was the trick I didn’t know I needed for creamy, luscious results.
03 -
  • Use a wide skillet so there’s enough space to toss everything without clumping; it makes saucing much easier.
  • Adding the pasta straight from the pot to the skillet, still dripping, ensures you don’t lose those starchy droplets that help the sauce cling.
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