Sizzling Garlic Butter Noodles Recipe
These Garlic Butter Noodles are finished directly in a sizzling sauce of butter, fresh garlic, shallots, chicken stock, pasta water and lemon until glossy and loaded with flavor. Finish them with Parmesan and fresh parsley or add chili crisp for a spicy variation.
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients
- 8 ounces spaghetti or thin spaghetti
- 8 tablespoons salted butter
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 shallot finely diced
- 1/2 tsp each: garlic powder, onion powder, all-purpose seasoning*
- 1/3 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Optional Spicy Variation
- 1-2 tbsp chili crisp such as Momofuku or Fly By Jing
- chopped fresh cilantro in place of parsley
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of generously salted water to a boil. Use just enough water for the spaghetti to cook comfortably*. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the cloudy, starchy pasta water.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and shallot and cook for about 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the shallot has softened and the garlic is fragrant. Do not allow the garlic to brown. Stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, and all-purpose seasoning.
- Pour in the chicken stock and only 1/2 cup of the reserved starchy pasta water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
- Add the lemon juice and the al dente spaghetti (I just transfer it from the boiling pot into the pan sauce without draining).
- Using tongs, toss continuously in the sizzling sauce for about 2–3 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and the liquid has reduced into a glossy sauce that evenly coats the noodles. If the sauce reduces too quickly, add another splash of extra reserved pasta water as needed.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the parsley and Parmesan, and toss just until the cheese melts into the noodles. Taste and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper as needed.
- Serve immediately topped with additional freshly grated Parmesan.
- For Spicy Garlic Butter Noodles: Add 1 tablespoon chili crisp to the sauce, increasing to taste. Substitute fresh cilantro for the parsley and finish as directed.
Notes
- Use extra-starchy pasta water: For the best sauce, cook the spaghetti in a pot with just enough water for it to cook comfortably. Using less water concentrates the starch released from the pasta, giving you a cloudy, starch-rich water that helps the butter and liquid emulsify.
- Cook the pasta only to al dente. The spaghetti cooks for another few minutes in the skillet, so fully cooking it before adding it to the sauce can result in overly soft noodles.
- Extra seasonings are optional: I love adding garlic powder, onion powder, and all-purpose seasoning because they give the garlic butter sauce another layer of savory flavor beyond the fresh garlic and shallot. If you don't have one or all of them on hand, you can simply leave them out, and the noodles will still be delicious. If using all-purpose seasoning, keep in mind that brands vary in saltiness, so taste the finished pasta before adding any additional salt.
- Watch the garlic closely. You want the garlic fragrant and softened without browning, which can make the finished sauce bitter.
- Keep the sauce sizzling. Once the stock and pasta water are added, bring the mixture to an active simmer before adding the spaghetti. Tossing the noodles in the bubbling liquid allows them to finish cooking while the sauce reduces around them.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan. It melts much more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese.
- Taste before salting. Salted butter, chicken stock, salted pasta water and Parmesan all contain salt, so additional salt may not be necessary.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3–4 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of chicken stock or water and a small amount of butter to loosen the sauce.