Buttered Noodles
Buttered noodles are a simple, easy go to recipe when you truly have to come up with something on the spot and quickly. If you've never had buttered noodles, you may think they seem simple but you'll change your mind with just one bite. Sometimes the best thing we can cook up is the simplest thing to make.
Components
Noodles: typically made with a noodle type of pasta like spaghetti, linguini or egg noodles, but really any pasta will work- bonus points if it has ridges and crevices to cradle the butter sauce.
Butter: the key ingredient for that silky sauce- use regular unsalted butter so you can control all the flavour.
Cheese: Technically you don't need to add cheese to butter noodles but a good cheese grated into a buttery sauce makes it 10x better- Use any hard cheese like parmesean but I prefer Pecorino Romano.
The extras: garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper - Feel free to include other herbs and spices you fancy but imo these are the must-haves for perfectly flavoured butter noodles.
Tips for the best buttered noodles
Cook the pasta all the way, not al dente: Ensure the pasta is fully cooked for a creamy texture that absorbs the butter and sauce better, rather than leaving it too firm.
Bloom fresh garlic in oil: Sautéing fresh garlic in oil brings out the deepest garlicky flavour that garlic powder just can't compete with.
Cook the pasta in shallow water: Using less water helps concentrate the pasta's starch, making for a thicker, silkier sauce when combined with butter.
Use cold butter: Starting with cold butter helps prevent it from splitting or separating, giving a smoother, richer sauce.
Keep the heat controlled when adding butter and cheese: Gently warm the butter and cheese together, but never cook or boil, as this can cause them to break or become greasy.
Stir aggressively to emulsify the sauce: Vigorously mixing the pasta with the butter and cheese helps the sauce come together smoothly, creating a luscious, creamy coating on the noodles.
What to pair it with
Buttered noodles are a simple yet comforting dish, featuring tender pasta tossed in rich, melted butter, garlic, and a sprinkle of Parmesan. It’s the perfect quick meal, full of flavor and easy to customize with herbs or spices. Ideal for busy weeknights or when you’re craving something warm and satisfying!
- 2-3 cups penne pasta
- 1 cup green beans
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 6 tbsp butter
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt (If needed)
- 3/4 cup pecorino romano
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp Red pepper flakes
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
- Cut up French green beans into small pieces and grate the Pecorino Romano.
- Once the water comes to a boil, add in chicken bouillon, pasta and chopped green beans. Stir occasionally to prevent the pasta sticking together. Cook for about 10 minutes or until pasta is fully cooked.
- While the pasta cooks, get a small pan on medium heat with a small amount of olive oil. Add in minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Reserve 1 cup pasta water in the last couple minutes of cooking.
- Once cooked, drain the pasta and beans and return to the pot over medium heat.
- Add the garlic red pepper flake oil to the pasta and stir to coat well.
- Pour half the reserved pasta water over the pasta along with the cold butter and stir aggressively and quickly to emulsify the butter and pasta water to form the sauce.
- Pour in more of the pasta water along will all the grated cheese and stir again. Finish with the remaining pasta water, salt and black pepper.
2 cups pasta makes about 3-4 portions. 3 cups pasta makes about 5-6 portions. Note that the finished pasta may be slightly less saucy than if 2 cups are used. To make the pasta more saucy, simply reserve a little more pasta water, and add an additional 2-3 tbsp of butter per additional cup of pasta.