20-Minute Garlic Butter Pasta

Garlic butter pasta is a quick and easy vegetarian recipe that's bursting with delicious savory flavor. This simple and comforting dish is perfect for busy weeknights when you want something fast yet satisfying. With just 6 budget-friendly ingredients, you can whip up a rich and savory pasta dish. So grab your pasta pot and let's get cooking!

Sometimes nothing else will do other than a plate of buttered noodles. But it's so easy to jazz up this classic comfort food by adding aromatic garlic, lemon, nutty Parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley.

This easy pasta recipe is creamy, rich and savory, with a silky sauce that will make you wish you made a double batch (you should!). Or, make a similar sauce that's packed with spinach by making my green pasta sauce.

Serve garlic butter pasta as a vegetarian main accompanied with a side salad, or as a side to your favorite protein-based meal.

For more vegetarian pasta recipes, try my pasta with tahini, shallot pasta, or vegetarian pasta bake.

Jump to:

• ⭐️ Why These Garlic Buttered Noodles are the Best
• 🍝 Ingredient Notes
• 📝 Variations & Substitutions
• 🔪 How to Make Garlic Butter Pasta
• 👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips
• 🍽 What to Eat with Butter and Garlic Pasta
• 💬 Frequently Asked Questions
• 🍽 Related Recipes
• Garlic Butter Pasta Recipe

⭐️ Why These Garlic Buttered Noodles are the Best

• Decadent and buttery noodles in a silky and garlicky sauce are the perfect comfort food for a busy weeknight or lazy weekend
• Effortless recipe that's ready in 20 minutes using 6 simple ingredients that you most likely already have on hand
• Pair it with your favorite protein for a heartier meal or accompany it with a side salad
• Budget-friendly weeknight meal

🍝 Ingredient Notes

• Pasta - I like using long, thin noodles for this dish since it works well with the silky sauce. Spaghetti, angel hair, linguine, or bucatini noodles all work great.
• Butter - Salted or unsalted works here, but you won't need to add as much salt at the end if you use salted butter.
• Garlic - Since we only use a few simple ingredients here, I strongly recommend using fresh garlic for the best flavor.
• Parmesan cheese - You can use a block of fresh Parmesan or buy it pre-shredded. Just be aware that pre-grated cheese does not melt as well.
• Lemon - Adds bright citrus flavor and complexity
• Fresh parsley - Adds fresh aromatics to our rich pasta dish.

📝 Variations & Substitutions

• Gluten-free: Substitute your favorite gluten-free pasta and cook according to package instructions.
• Spicy: Add 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes for a pop of heat.
• Make dairy-free: Swap in your favorite dairy-free butter and omit the Parmesan cheese, or use nutritional yeast in place of the cheese. Nutritional yeast has a cheesy and nutty flavor which many vegan folks use in place of Parmesan!
• Zoodles: For a low-carb meal, use zucchini noodles.
• Add protein: For a high-protein meal, add cooked chicken, shrimp, or chickpeas.
• Add veggies: Adding 1 or 2 bunches of leafy greens like spinach, kale, or Swiss chard goes a long way to making this a healthy meal.

🔪 How to Make Garlic Butter Pasta

Over high heat, bring a large pot of (salted) water to a boil. Cook pasta according to (al dente) package instructions. After pasta is cooked, set aside 1 cup of pasta water and drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and saute for 2 minutes, until fragrant.

Add cooked pasta to the skillet, along with ¼ cup of pasta water, and gently coat the noodles using kitchen tongs. Add more pasta water if needed, and toss noodles, until you have a silky sauce.

Remove from heat, add grated Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, and toss once more. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips

• Storage: Place in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• How to reheat: Place leftovers in a medium skillet with 1-2 tablespoons of water, and heat on medium-low for 5-8 minutes, until heated through.
• Salt your pasta water. As the water is absorbed into the noodles, the salt is absorbed along with it, giving it flavor. So, be generous with the salt!
• Reserve pasta water. Be sure to reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. It contains starch, which helps to thicken the sauce and ensures that it sticks to the pasta.
• Cook pasta al dente. Nobody likes overcooked, mushy pasta, so be sure to cook your pasta according to package instructions. It should be firm-tender and chewy when you bite into it.

🍽 What to Eat with Butter and Garlic Pasta

Serve your noodles as a creamy side dish to salmon, chicken, or shrimp

Top with healthy baked meatballs for a fun take on spaghetti and meatballs

Pair with a delicious side salad, like fennel salad or apple cucumber salad

Accompany your pasta with vegetables, like broccoli, asparagus, or my roasted green beans and carrots

💬 Frequently Asked Questions

🍽 Related Recipes

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