This Garlic Butter Pasta dish uses Garlic Butter with a few changes, Parmigiano Reggiano, any long Pasta with Pasta Water to create a Sauce that is thickened with a beaten Egg to make it extra creamy. It’s a quick meal, that comes together in the same amount of time it takes to cook the pasta. Everything else can be done while boiling the pasta water and pasta. Serve it as a Lunch all by itself, maybe with a side of Garlic Bread or a full-course meal with Meatballs & Salad.
Garlic Butter Pasta Ingredients
Made simply with long Pasta, Parmigiano Reggiano & Garlic Butter (Butter, Sunflower or Neutral Oil, Dried Onion & Garlic Flakes, Butter Popcorn Seasoning, Chili Flakes or Aleppo Chili Flakes, Garlic, Parsley, Sea Salt), Egg.
Garlic Butter
The Garlic Butter used is the same one used for Garlic Bread & Garlic Butter Rice. For this recipe, we make a few changes. The Garlic Butter below is the one with the changes in order to use for this recipe.
One of the tricks to Garlic pungency and development of flavors is in how the Garlic Butter is prepared. It is in fact prepared with a Garlic Aioli first. Slicing the Garlic or even mincing the Garlic does not have the same effect.
This is customizable too, for me 6 cloves is just a nice punch of Garlic Flavors. Although, if you find this too intense, you can lower the amounts to suit your taste or increase the amount.
Garlic Butter
- 1/2 C Butter
- 1/2 C Neutral Oil
- 1/2 tsp Butter Popcorn Seasoning
- 6 Cloves of Garlic
- 1/8 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/4 tsp Chili Flakes or Aleppo
- 1 tsp Dehydrated Onion & Garlic — each
- I toss a bit of Parsley in here too as well as more when tossing in the sauce
You will only need 1/2 C for 4 portions or 400 g of Pasta. The other half you can add in the 1/2 tsp of Parsley & Chives with 1/8 tsp of Dill weed and mix to use for some Garlic Bread to serve on the side.
Parmigiano & Reggiano Cheese
This is used not only for Flavor, but to assist in the sauce thickening a bit. It is added once the Garlic Butter has melted in the Pan and whisked in before the Pasta goes in to be tossed. I have made this without or significantly less and the dish still taste good. But having this in there helps to create a sauce and does elevate the flavors.
Parmigiano Reggiano
Use 1/2 C finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano or more into a bowl and refrigerate so that it is added to the sauce cold.
Sauce Consistency
The Sauce is good all by itself with a small amount of Pasta Water, Garlic Butter & Parmigiano Reggiano. However, if you wanted it even creamier, you can go Carbonara Style and add a Beaten Egg to toss with the Pasta off heat. The residual heat will be enough to cook the Egg and thicken the Sauce. Just keep tossing it around until a Thick, Creamy Sauce develops.
I like adding in the Egg for the extra Creaminess it creates and for the Protein.
Garlic Butter Pasta with Egg
Add a beaten Egg to the Pasta off heat and keep tossing until the Sauce thickens even more.
Pasta
Use any type of long Pasta weighed out in a glass. This recipe uses 200 g for two servings. But could easily be doubled to feed four.
Weighing Long Pasta
Place the long Pasta into a glass in order to weigh out the amount you need, or 400 g for this recipe.
Pasta Water
Place 16 Cups of Water into a Stockpot with 2 Tbl of Sea Salt. Bring this to a boil, add the Pasta to cook until Al Dente. Then remove the pot aside, and you’re ready to make the Garlic Butter Pasta Sauce.
The Pasta water is also used in the Sauce. Just a small amount, and more if needed to adjust the consistency while tossing the Pasta. Keep adding the pasta water a little at a time while aggressively tossing the pasta to rub off the starches and create a sauce. Move the pasta aside, to see if a good sauce is formed.
How to Make Garlic Butter Pasta
- Once the Water is Boiling, add the Pasta and cook until Al Dente. Remove from heat and place on the back or side.
- In a Saucepan over medium heat, add the Garlic Butter and melt. Once melted, shut the heat off and add a splash (3-4 Tbl) of Pasta Water, whisk well then add the Cheese. Whisk really well and then scoop out the Pasta to add to the Saucepan.
- Toss & keep tossing the Pasta until the Sauce becomes smooth. Add more Pasta Water if needed to adjust the consistency. Then add in Parsley & Black Pepper to taste.
Optionally remove the Pan from the burner and add a beaten Egg for a Creamier Sauce. Keep tossing the Pasta around again until the Sauce becomes thicker. Plate and serve.
Serve this up by itself or with a side of Garlic Bread. It can also be served up with a Meatball side platter or various other meats.
What to serve Garlic Butter Pasta with
Serve the Garlic Butter Pasta up with Meatballs on the side, Sausages, Braised Meats, Salads, Kebabs or what not. Some uses here on JAHZKITCHEN are shown below.
Meatball Side Platter
Served on the side with Meatballs on Sour Cream or Béchamel Sauce and Marinara Sauce ladled over top.
Meatball Side Platter with Salad
Served on the side with Donair Meatballs and Caesar Salad.
Equipment
- 1 Stockpot
- 1 Large Saucepan
- 1 Digital Scale
- 1 Stick Blender & Mason Jar with a mouth opening large enough for the blender
- 2 Bowls for the Garlic Butter & Cheese
- 1 Tongs
Ingredients
- 400 g Long Pasta - Spaghetti, Bucatini or Fettuccine
- 16 C Water
- 2 Tbl Sea Salt
- 1/2 C Parmigiano Reggiano - or more Finely shredded and refrigerated
- To Taste Parsley & Black Pepper
- 1/2 C Garlic Butter
- 1 Beaten Egg - optional
Garlic Butter
- 1/2 C Butter
- 1/2 C Neutral Oil
- 1/2 tsp Butter Popcorn Seasoning
- 6 Cloves Garlic
- 1/8 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/4 tsp Chili Flakes or Aleppo
- 1 tsp Dehydrated Onion & Garlic - each
Instructions
- Boil Water: Boil 16 cups water and 2 tbsp sea salt in a covered pot. Prepare the garlic butter by blending garlic cloves, 1/8 tsp sea salt, and 1/2 cup oil in a jar until smooth. Transfer to a bowl.
- Make Garlic Butter: Place Garlic Cloves, 1/8 tsp Sea Salt and 1/2 C Oil into a Mason Jar or a Jar with a mouth opening large enough to fit a stick blender. Blend until smooth and empty into a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients for the Garlic Butter and mix well. Remove 1/2 cup to use for this recipe and save the rest for other recipes or to make Garlic Bread.
- Prepare Cheese: Finely shred 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano and refrigerate until needed.
- Cook Pasta and Prepare Sauce: Once the water boils, cook pasta until al dente. About 13–15 minutes. About 1–2 minutes before the pasta is ready, heat a pan up over medium heat with Garlic Butter, and 3–4 Tbl of Pasta Water.
- Combine and Serve: Pick up the pasta with tongs from the pot and transfer directly to the pan, don't worry about excess water, just one motion. Toss aggressively the cooked pasta in the sauce until smooth. Adjust consistency with more pasta water if needed. You can add more Garlic Butter here too, should you choose. Add parsley & black pepper to taste, with cheese to toss aggressively again until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy before serving right away. Optionally, remove the Pan from the burner and add a beaten Egg for a Creamier Carbonara style sauce. Keep tossing the Pasta around again until the Sauce becomes thicker. Plate and serve.
Notes
- 1/2 tsp Parsley & Chives each
- 1/4 tsp Dill Weed