Brown Butter Spaghetti
A quick and comforting pasta dish featuring nutty brown butter that clings beautifully to spaghetti, perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 12 oz Spaghetti (or any long pasta you love)
- 6 tbsp Unsalted butter
- 3 cloves Garlic (optional, but I almost always use it) Add for extra flavor
- 1 cup Parmesan or Romano (or both) Grated cheese
- 1 tsp Salt For seasoning
- 1 tsp Black pepper Freshly cracked is best
- 1 tsp Red pepper flakes (optional) Add for heat
- 1 tbsp Fresh lemon juice or zest (optional) Brightens the dish
- 2 tbsp Chopped parsley (optional) For garnish
Instructions
Cooking the Pasta and Preparing the Sauce
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt it generously, then cook your spaghetti until it is just tender. Before you drain it, scoop out about 1 cup of pasta water and set it aside.
- While the pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir it often. It will foam, then calm down. Keep watching because once it starts turning golden, it moves fast.
- When the butter smells nutty and you see brown bits on the bottom, turn the heat down a touch. If you are using garlic, toss it in for about 20 to 30 seconds so it does not burn.
- Add the drained spaghetti straight into the skillet. Splash in a little pasta water and toss, toss, toss until the spaghetti is glossy and coated.
- Turn off the heat and add your cheese. Toss again, adding more pasta water as needed until it looks silky. Finish with black pepper, a pinch of salt if needed, and any extras you like.
Notes
Use a light colored pan to monitor the butter's browning. Stir often to prevent burning. Adding pasta water is crucial for sauce consistency.