Butter Parmesan Pasta
A silky butter and parmesan sauce clings to every strand, built with starchy pasta water so it stays glossy instead of greasy. Simple, rich, and ready in under twenty minutes.
- Total
- 19 min
- Prep 2 · Cook 17
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Cooking al dente · Emulsifying
- Savory
- Quick
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Fill a large pot with at least 1 litre of water, add 1 tsp salt, and set it over high heat to come to a rolling boil.
~5 min
Salting the water seasons the pasta from within as it hydrates, so the final dish tastes seasoned rather than flat.
-
While step 1 cooks
While the water heats, grate 30 g parmesan on the fine side of a box grater and cut 25 g butter into small cubes so both are ready the moment the pasta drains.
~2 min
-
Add 100 g pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice so the strands do not stick. Before draining, scoop out 120 ml of the cloudy cooking water and set it aside.
~10 min
Starchy pasta water acts as an emulsifier, helping the butter and cheese blend into a smooth, clinging sauce instead of separating.
Cooking al dente Cook until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite; it should offer slight resistance, not be mushy. Start checking a minute before the package time.
-
Drain the pasta in a colander and return the empty pot to low heat. Add the butter cubes and swirl until fully melted, about 1 minute, without letting it brown.
~1 min
Melting butter gently over low heat keeps it from browning, preserving its sweet, creamy flavor for the sauce.
-
Add the drained pasta to the melted butter along with 60 ml of the reserved cooking water. Toss over low heat for 1 minute until the liquid looks glossy and slightly thickened.
~1 min
Tossing pasta with starchy water and butter creates an emulsion that thickens slightly and coats each strand glossily.
Emulsifying Toss vigorously off heat, adding starchy water gradually, to bind butter and cheese into a glossy sauce. If it looks greasy, add a splash more water and keep tossing.
-
Take the pot off the heat and add the grated parmesan in three handfuls, tossing hard after each addition and loosening with the remaining 60 ml cooking water as needed, until the sauce is smooth and coats every strand. Season with 0.25 tsp black pepper and serve at once.
~2 min
Off-heat addition of parmesan prevents it from clumping or stringing, while vigorous tossing and starchy water build a smooth emulsion.
Emulsifying Toss vigorously off heat, adding starchy water gradually, to bind butter and cheese into a glossy sauce. If it looks greasy, add a splash more water and keep tossing.