Garlic Butter Pasta 🧄🍝🧈 Silky, Bold, and Buttery With Deep Garlic Flavor and a Hint of Heat

This is pantry pasta with serious presence — spaghetti or linguine tossed in a rich garlic butter sauce, finished with a splash of pasta water, a pinch of chili, and a hit of lemon or cheese. It’s fast, comforting, and endlessly riffable.

Serve it solo for a quick fix, or load it up with protein and greens to stretch it further.

Ingredients (Serves 2–3)

For the pasta

• 8 oz spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine
• Salt for boiling water

For the garlic butter sauce

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• ¼ cup reserved pasta water (more if needed)
• Zest and juice of ½ lemon (optional)
• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan or Pecorino (optional)
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley or basil

Instructions

Step 1: Boil the pasta
Cook pasta in generously salted water until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water before draining.

Step 2: Make the garlic butter
While pasta cooks, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté 1–2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.

Step 3: Combine with pasta
Add drained pasta directly to the garlic butter. Pour in reserved pasta water and toss vigorously over low heat until everything is coated and glossy.

Step 4: Finish and season
Stir in lemon zest and juice if using. Add Parmesan and herbs. Toss again. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon to balance.

Step 5: Serve
Serve hot with extra Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil or chili oil on top if desired.

Flavor Variations

• Add sautéed mushrooms, spinach, or cherry tomatoes
• Top with seared shrimp, grilled chicken, or a poached egg
• Stir in cream or mascarpone for a richer version
• Swap butter for brown butter for nuttier depth
• Add anchovy or miso paste for umami boost

Pro Tips

• Save that pasta water — it’s the key to silky sauce
• Don’t brown the garlic — just gently sauté until aromatic
• Toss pasta vigorously in the pan to emulsify butter and water
• Use long noodles for best sauce cling
• Grate cheese finely so it melts in easily

Final Thoughts

Garlic Butter Pasta is proof that a few ingredients — handled well — can create something magical. It’s fast, flexible, and tastes like more than the sum of its parts. Dress it up or eat it plain, but always eat it hot.

Boil it. Butter it. Toss it glossy. 🧄🍝🧈🔥

🧄 Garlic Butter Recipes Collection

Explore them all → Rich, golden, and versatile — garlic butter is the flavor bomb your weeknight meals (and fancy dinners) need.

🔥 Garlic Butter Proteins (Main Dishes)

• Garlic Butter Shrimp – Fast, juicy shrimp with bold garlic butter flavor.
• Garlic Butter Chicken – Crispy thighs smothered in a buttery garlic glaze.
• Garlic Butter Chicken Bites – Bite-sized skillet gold.
• Garlic Butter Steak Bites – Quick-seared steak cubes in sizzling garlic butter.
• Garlic Butter Tilapia – Mild fish with a rich, buttery finish.
• Garlic Butter Salmon – Buttery, flaky salmon perfect for weeknight dinner.

🍝 Garlic Butter Pastas & Noodles

• Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta – Seafood and carbs in harmony.
• Garlic Butter Pasta – Minimalist magic with max flavor.
• Garlic Butter Noodles – A simple classic that pairs with anything.
• Garlic Butter Lobster Mac & Cheese – Rich, decadent, and over-the-top good.
• Garlic Butter Parmesan Fettuccine – Creamy, cheesy, and craveable.
• Garlic Seafood Pasta Bake – Bubbly and golden with garlic and seafood.
• Garlic Butter Seafood Lasagna Rolls – Creamy, rolled seafood pasta baked in butter sauce.

🍚 Garlic Butter Sides, Bases & Sauces

• Garlic Butter Rice – Buttery rice with bold flavor and fluff.
• Garlic Butter Sauce – Base for seafood, pasta, and more.
• Garlic Butter Seafood Boil Sauce – Bold, spicy, and ready for dunking.
• Garlic Butter Mashed Potatoes – Creamy with a garlicky punch.
• Garlic Butter Green Beans / Asparagus – Your favorite veg made crave-worthy.
• Garlic Bread with Homemade Garlic Butter Spread – Essential upgrade for any carb lover.

🌶️ Garlic Butter Fusion Recipes (Flavor Bombs)

• Garlic Butter Cajun Shrimp – Spicy, buttery, and bold.
• Garlic Butter Shrimp Tacos – Crispy shells, buttery shrimp.
• Garlic Butter Chicken Alfredo – Creamy fusion of two comfort classics.
• Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi – Bright lemon and rich butter make magic.
• Garlic Butter Ramen Noodles – Lazy, comforting, deeply satisfying.