This easy garlic butter pasta is my go-to weeknight favorite — a simple, cozy bowl of spaghetti tossed in golden garlic butter with a little heat from chili flakes. It uses pantry staples and is on the table in just 20 minutes.
Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 15 mins | Serves: 2–3
Ingredients
- 200g spaghetti
- 3 tbsp butter
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Grated parmesan, to serve
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
Method
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente. Before draining, scoop out 1/4 cup of the pasta water and set it aside.
- While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook gently, stirring often, until golden and fragrant — don’t let it brown too much.
- Stir in the chili flakes, then pour in the reserved pasta water. Let it bubble for a minute to form a light, silky sauce.
- Add the drained spaghetti to the pan and toss everything together so the pasta is well coated.
- Season with salt and black pepper, then sprinkle over the grated parmesan and fresh parsley.
- Serve hot, straight from the pan.
Tip
For the best flavor, use real butter and fresh garlic — and save a little extra parmesan for the table. A squeeze of lemon juice at the end brightens everything up too!
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