Recipes that you can make from memory, no—by heart—have a lot of things in common. They’re usually quick (5 minutes), have just a few ingredients (just 4!), and they’re always darn good.
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Butter garlic sauce is one of those super simple and quick pasta sauces you’ll make from memory after making it one time. Quick as in 10 minutes tops…as long as it takes to cook the spaghetti. Take it for a twirl with homemade fresh pasta because the butter lets you taste the quality of the pasta.
This garlic butter sauce needs a partner in crime—and this crowd-sized Italian focaccia more than delivers.
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Whoa..that’s a lot of butter and garlic!
Don’t freak out when you see how loaded this rich sauce is with garlic and butter. They’re each spread out across a 1/2 pound of pasta and no one is going to mind after the first bite.
🧈 Unsalted butter. A whole stick of butter (good quality butter, please!). Unsalted butter is also recommended so that you can control the salt (see the FAQ’s below).
🧄 Garlic cloves. 8 cloves sounds like a lot but all that fresh minced garlic adds so much flavor!
Quick butter sauce for pasta: step-by-step
This is going to move super fast so put get some pasta cooking, grab a large skillet, some butter and garlic and let’s go!
Two tips for success
Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water to help “marry” the sauce and pasta together in the pan.
Don’t leave the stove as the garlic is cooking. It’ll turn brown or burn really quickly and you’ll be starting over from scratch!
Variations
You can use this butter garlic pasta sauce as the springboard for other dishes. Here are a few ideas:
- Lemon butter garlic pasta sauce. Squeeze in some lemon for bright zest of flavor. Serve with sauteed scallops or shrimp…so good!
- Pasta with garlic butter and mushrooms. Saute the mushrooms first and then add to the butter and garlic.
- Chicken and pasta with garlic butter sauce. Add some of my Foolproof Chicken and make it a whole meal!
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5 Minute Garlic-Butter Sauce for Pasta
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 stick
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, or more to taste
- ½ lb spaghetti or linguine, cooked in salted water
- fresh parmesan cheese, grated; for serving
- fresh parsley, chopped; for serving
- crushed red pepper, optional
Instructions
- Mince the garlic very finely.8 cloves garlic
- In a large skillet over low heat, melt the butter until it foams.8 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- Add the garlic to the butter along with the salt and pepper and cook on a simmer or low for about 5 minutes. You don't want to brown the garlic.1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Toss the cooked pasta in with the butter and garlic sauce until all the pasta strands are coated with the sauce.½ lb spaghetti or linguine
- Sprinkle over fresh parmesan, chopped parsley and crushed red pepper if using. Eat immediately and enjoy!fresh parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, crushed red pepper
Notes
- Watch the garlic closely and use low heat/simmer setting on your stove. As soon as it’s brown, the flavor of the dish will change so don’t brown the garlic.
I loved the sauce! I did want to ask if the recipe is 8 oz of butter or 4oz? It says 8 but then in the directions you say you are using a stick of butter which would be 4oz or 1/2 cup. I used 2 sticks and feel like one stick would have been enough for the amount of pasta. I use your recipes often and have loved them all! Thanks.
Rhonda, you are 100% correct! It is 8 Tablespoons, not ounces as I had mistakenly written. As fast as this recipe is to prepare, clearly I needed to slow down when I shared it. The recipe card is corrected but I am glad to hear the extra butter didn’t get in the way of you enjoying the sauce.
Astonishing🤩🤩
I used potato gnocchi, it it paired perfectly!
I concur! I use my homemade gnocchi recipe which is part my grandma Nina’s recipe, part mine when I’m feeling like making it homemade – thanks for trying the butter sauce!
I’ve been flipping through bauuter sauce recipes and decided that yours is the one I want to try. I’m keeping 4 boys tonight under 13 and this looks like the perfect main for a crowd. Green beans and some garlic toast ought to hit the mark. Can’t wait to let you know the all-male rave reviews! Thanks for the recipe!
Yay! Thank you so much! I feel very honored along with a wee bit of pressure but it’s the easiest darn pasta recipe in the world. And, you win Mom of the Year…feeding 4 boys under 13! I love and miss those days with my oldest and his friends who I fed on the regular😊 Hope you get some time for you too and let me know how the pasta goes! xo
I made your 5 minute garlic butter sauce for Pasta, for my husband & myself for dinner tonight & it was so delicious! We’re both big fans & I will make it again. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Judy
Yay! That makes me so happy! Glad you and your husband enjoyed it 😊 and thanks so much for taking the time to share Judy!