Easy Garlic Butter Pasta for Any Night
Ingredients
- 8 ounces spaghetti or linguine noodles
- 2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 4 small cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1/4 cup fresh minced parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes (optional)
Preparation
Heat a 3-quart pot of water to boiling. Add in 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, then add the noodles and cook to package directions.
When the pasta is almost finished, reserve one cup of pasta water.
In a large skillet, melt the butter over low heat and add the garlic. Let it cook for several minutes to infuse the butter. Add the hot pasta to the butter sauce, and toss to coat, adding some of the reserved pasta water as needed to create a sauce.
Remove from heat and add Parmesan, red chile flakes, and fresh minced parsley, tossing continuously. Divide into bowls and garnish with fresh cracked black pepper.
Notes
Do not brown the garlic; cook until fragrant to avoid bitterness.
To make a complete meal, add a protein like chicken, shrimp, or salmon.
