Buttered Noodles

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Buttered noodles are the ultimate comfort food, simple to make they can be served as both a main dish or a comforting side dish to so many meals.

A large pan full of buttered noodles resting on the bench next to plate of spinach and a small ramekin of parmesan cheese.

Why This Recipe Works

Five Ingredients: (Excluding salt and pepper)
So simple yet so delicious
Loved by all of the family

Ingredients you will need

pasta
salt & black pepper
butter
garlic
parmesan
parsley

All the ingredients to make the buttered noodles resting on the bench

Ingredient Notes and Substitutes

Pasta: For this buttered noodles recipe I typically use long egg noodles such as spaghetti or fettuccine but you can of course use a short pasta shape such as penne, macaroni or farffelle if you prefer. This buttered noodles recipe works just as well with good quality gluten-free pasta.
Butter: In New Zealand we are so lucky to have delicious grass-fed butter.
Garlic: I like to use whole garlic cloves that I then crush, but you can certainly use jarred crushed garlic, or you could even add garlic powder.
Parmesan: I love the flavour grated parmesan cheese adds to pasta
Parsley: Fresh parsley or dried parsley are both fine. You can also use any fresh herbs you have in the garden, sage and basil are lovely.

Step-by-step instructions

Below are illustrated step-by-step instructions to make my buttered pasta recipe, if you prefer just the written instructions then head straight to the printable recipe card below.

Step one: Boil your pasta in salted water in a large pot to al dente as per the packet instructions, drain the pasta. Reserve one cup of the pasta cooking water to be used later in the recipe.

Pasta boiling on the cooktop in a large pot of water

Step two: Heat a pan or skillet large enough to hold the pasta over a low heat.

Step three: Add the butter and crushed garlic and sauté until the butter is flavoured with the garlic but has not browned.

Butter and garlic sauteing in a large pan on the cooktop

Step four Add the cooked pasta to the butter, tossing the pasta so it is all covered in the buttery sauce, add the reserved pasta water ¼ of a cup at a time until the pasta is coated and glossy (you may not need to use the full cup of pasta water that you reserved. Adding the pasta water gives a creaminess to the butter sauce.

cooked and drained pasta added to the butter and garlic pan with reserved pasta water being poured back into it

Step five: Toss through the parmesan cheese, and parsley

Cheese and seasoning added to the pan full of pasta, garlic and butter

Step six: Season to taste with salt and black pepper

A large pan full of buttered noodles resting on the bench with a serving on a plate being held above it by a hand

Top Tips

Here is how you can make buttered pasta perfectly every time!

Don't forget to add the reserved pasta water to the sauce. This water is like liquid gold, it is full of starch which helps sauces thicken and coat the pasta.
Buttered Noodles are such simple and familiar flavors. I like to serve my meals family style, sometimes I serve foods that my kids might not have tried before or foods they are still learning to like. Having a bowl of buttery pasta on the table means that even if they are not eating huge helpings of the new food there is still something familiar on the table that we can all enjoy together. and maybe next time will be the time they love the new food I've prepared.
I love adding a little lemon zest to this recipe especially if I am serving the noodles alongside fish, seafood or chicken
To make this simple dish more nutritious you can use a protein pasta made with lentils or whole grain pasta for fiber
Chilli flakes are lovely with the buttered noodles as well
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days.

A large pan full of buttered noodles resting on the bench with a serving on a plate with cooked and sliced chicken and broccoli being held above it by a hand

FAQs

Why are buttered noodles so good?

Buttered noodles are so delicious because they combine comforting pasta with simple flavours of butter, garlic and parmesan cheese.

What goes well with buttered noodles?

Buttered noodles are delicious with grilled meats, fish and seafood such as shrimp, prawns and clams. They are also delicious with saucy family meals like Swedish Meatballs, Chicken Paprikash or Apricot chicken.