Garlic Butter Pasta
Ready in just 15 minutes, this is an easy yet flavorful real-food meal the whole family will love.
Servings: 4
Calories: 298kcal
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup broth chicken or vegetable
- 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 1/3 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice optional
- kosher salt & fresh-ground black pepper
- sprinkling of parsley dried or fresh
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, then add a generous pinch of kosher salt and the pasta. Cook just to al dente, according to package directions, then drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in garlic and red pepper, followed by broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the cream or half-and-half. Lower heat to medium. Cook 1-2 minutes, until thickened slightly. Add Parmesan plus lemon and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well.
- Add drained pasta to sauce, toss to coat, and sprinkle with parsley. Serve right away.
Notes
- If you prefer a looser sauce, reserve a small amount of the pasta water -- 1/3 to 1/2 cup should do the trick -- to mix into the sauce near the end. Using pasta water to thin out a sauce works well because the starch released into the water by the pasta allows the sauce to thin out more slowly and naturally than tap water would.
Nutrition
Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 194mg | Potassium: 139mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 277IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 1mg