Garlic Butter Pasta is a simple, flavorful pasta dish tossed in garlic butter, red pepper flakes, and fresh herbs. Quick, easy, and delicious with just a handful of ingredients.
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💡Recipe Overview
- Prep and Cook Time: 10 minutes to prep and 15 minutes to cook
- Cooking Method: Stove-top
- Tools Needed: Large skillet
- Skill Level: Easy
What is an ancestral diet? Read my post on what nourishing foods are based on the traditional dietary principles of the Weston A. Price Foundation.
Reasons to Love this Butter Garlic Pasta
Sometimes you just need a side dish that doesn't make you think.
That’s where garlic butter pasta comes in. In about 15 minutes, you’ve got tender pasta coated in a buttery, garlicky sauce with a little kick from red pepper flakes and brightness from fresh herbs.
It’s simple, comforting, and flexible.
Parmesan or no Parmesan.
Spaghetti or fettuccine.
Extra herbs if you’re feeling fancy.
It’s the kind of side you can toss together any night of the week without a second thought, but it still tastes like you put in way more effort than you actually did.
Ingredients for Butter and Garlic Pasta
- Pasta – Use long pasta like spaghetti, fettuccine, or linguine. If you want gluten-free, I prefer Jovial sprouted brown rice pasta or use veggie noodles like spiralized zucchini.
- Butter – You can't have butter pasta without the butter. If using salted butter, hold back on the salt when you season pasta.
- Garlic – There's not a whole lot happening in this butter pasta dish, so make sure you use fresh garlic cloves (and not the jarred kind) to give it lots of fresh flavor.
- Seasonings – A mix of red pepper flakes, sea salt, and black pepper adds a little heat and flavor. Adjust the spices to your taste.
- Parmesan cheese – Optional but worth it. Freshly grated Parmesan melts into the sauce, making it creamy and flavorful.
- Fresh herbs – Sprinkle parsley or basil on top for color and freshness.
Make it Ancestral
How cool would it be to make this garlic butter pasta with fresh milled flour homemade pasta? Rich, garlicky, buttery, and totally nutrient-dense - it's pasta the way it used to be. I'm actually working on a homemade pasta recipe (with FMF of course!) and I can't wait to share it so you can take this simple dish to the next level.
How to Make Garlic Butter Pasta
The complete printable recipe is below in the recipe card for your convenience. Follow these simple step-by-step instructions for the best results.
Step 1. Cook
Cook pasta al dente according to package instructions. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant.
Step 2. Toss
Transfer the cooked pasta to the pan and toss with the garlic butter. Add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Add parmesan cheese and any additional seasonings and toss to coat.
Helpful Tips
- Prevent sticking: Avoid rinsing the pasta - that starch is what will help the butter to stick to the pasta. Toss the drained pasta with a drizzle of olive oil if you’re not serving right away.
- Avoid burning garlic: Cook over medium-low heat, but watch it closely as garlic burns quickly and turns bitter.
- Fresh herbs last: Stir in herbs at the end to keep their bright color and flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Butter garlic pasta is one of those amazing dishes that goes with....basically anything. Serve it as a quick weeknight dinner on its own, toss it alongside sauteed or roasted carrots with garlic (can you even have too much garlic?), or pile it next to your favorite protein like chimichurri chicken, salmon with mayo, or pan fried pork chops.
It's simple, comforting, and ridiculously versatile, making it the unicorn of dinners for a perfect busy night, last-minute guests, or whenever you just want to carb-load (with a hefty dose of garlic butter).
Want something fresh on your plate? Pair this buttery pasta with crisp, refreshing salads like cucumber salad or house salad to balance all the buttery goodness. And perhaps some fermented carrots or red cabbage sauerkraut.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftover butter and garlic pasta in an airtight container for up to 3 days. These glass snap containers are perfect for leftovers. To reheat, transfer the garlic butter pasta to a small saucepan and warm over medium-high heat, stirring often. Add a splash of water or broth to break it up and loosen it.
Use plenty of boiling, salted water and stir it for the first minute or two of cooking, then occasionally as it continues to cook. Avoid rinsing and as soon as it's drained, toss it immediately with a little olive oil to keep the noodles separate and coated. And don't forget to save some of that pasta water to help loosen the sauce later.
Add a splash of the reserved pasta water or a little extra butter while tossing the pasta. This will loosen the sauce and help it coat the noodles evenly.
Looking for more simple side dishes? Here are some ideas:
Did you make this butter and garlic pasta? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ recipe rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comments. Thank you!💚
Printable Recipe
Garlic Butter Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta of choice (spaghetti, fettuccine, or linguine)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese optional
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or basil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 12 oz pasta of choice (spaghetti, fettuccine, or linguine) according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½-1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- In the same pot or a large skillet over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter. Add the minced 4 cloves garlic and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and golden, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Return the drained pasta to the pan with the garlic butter and toss to coat evenly. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the pasta.
- Season with ½ teaspoon sea salt and freshly ground ¼ teaspoon black pepper to taste, then stir in the Parmesan cheese if using, along with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or basil.
- Serve immediately, with extra ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese and herbs on top
Notes
- Prevent sticking: Avoid rinsing the pasta - that starch is what will help the butter to stick to the pasta. Toss the drained pasta with a drizzle of olive oil if you’re not serving right away.
- Avoid burning garlic: Cook over medium-low heat, but watch it closely as garlic burns quickly and turns bitter.
- Fresh herbs last: Stir in herbs at the end to keep their bright color and flavor.
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