There’s something undeniably comforting about a warm bowl of pasta—it’s the perfect balance of simplicity and indulgence. Linguine with Garlic Butter Parmesan Sauce exemplifies this by turning a handful of basic ingredients, often already in your kitchen, into a truly elegant meal.
PROCESS:
- First, let’s cook our pasta. In a large pot, boil water and cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Make sure to reserve some pasta water for later.
- Next grate your parmesan and keep it aside. Melt butter and add garlic and let it simmer.
- Next add in parmesan and broth and stir everything all together. Season with the mentioned seasonings.
- Toss in the pasta and add pasta water according to the consistency. Garnish with parsley and Enjoy!
Here’s what you are going to need to make it:
Unsalted Butter: Butter adds richness to the sauce. Make sure to use unsalted butter, as it gives you more control over the salt content.
Garlic: Essential ingredient!! For the best flavor, always use fresh garlic.
Parmesan Cheese: Parmesan is essential for achieving that creamy texture in the sauce as we are not going to use heavy cream in this recipe.
Chicken Broth: Chicken broth enhances the sauce by adding a gentle savory flavor.
Linguine: Linguine, with its long, flat shape, is ideal for this sauce, you can also use any other long shaped pasta.
Parsley: Adds color, making the dish attractive.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 2 cups chicken broth
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 200 g Linguine
- 2 tablespoons dried, or freshly chopped parsley
INSTRUCTIONS:
Step 1: Boil the Pasta
- Start by filling a large pot with water, adding a generous amount of salt, and bringing it to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add your linguine and cook it according to the package instructions.
Step 2: Grate the Parmesan
- While the pasta cooks, grate your Parmesan cheese and set it aside.
Step 3: Sauté the Garlic
- In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the minced garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until it becomes fragrant and lightly golden about 1-2 minutes.
Step 4: Add Parmesan and Broth
- Reduce the heat and add half of the grated Parmesan cheese to the skillet. Stir continuously as the cheese melts into the butter, creating a creamy base. Then, pour in the chicken broth. At this stage, feel free to season with a bit of salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste.
Step 5: Add the Pasta
- Add the boiled pasta directly to the skillet with the sauce, tossing it to ensure its evenly coated. If the sauce appears too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water. Continue adding water until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
Step 6: Finish the Dish
- Once the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce, add the remaining Parmesan cheese and the final tablespoon of butter. Stir well until the butter melts and the cheese is fully incorporated.
Step 7: Garnish and Serve
- Finally, sprinkle freshly chopped parsley over the pasta and give it one last toss to combine.
Tips and Notes:
- Freshly grated Parmesan melts better and tastes richer compared to pre-packaged options. Invest in a block of good-quality cheese and a fine grater for this recipe.
- Always save some pasta water before draining. The starch in the water is key to helping the sauce thicken and cling to the pasta.
- Garlic burns easily and turns bitter if overcooked. Cook it until fragrant (1-2 minutes) but remove from heat if it starts to brown too quickly.
- If your sauce is too thick, use pasta water to thin it. If it’s too thin, let it simmer a little longer to reduce.
- When melting butter, keep the heat at medium or lower. Higher heat can cause the butter to separate or burn. The goal is a smooth, rich sauce.
- Let the Parmesan come to room temperature before using. Cold cheese can cause clumping when added to the hot pasta.
- If you’re adding chicken or shrimp, cook these separately and toss them in with the sauce toward the end to prevent overcooking.
- Make sure the liquid is boiling when the pasta is added for the right consistency.
- Turn off the heat before adding the cheese, if the base is too hot, the dairy will separate, and you’ll have a grainy consistency instead of creamy.
- Add the cheese gradually to avoid from clumping. Stir it continuously as it’s added.
- Adding chicken If you’d like to add chicken to this, try my Creamy Chicken Alfredo! It’s like an amped up version of this recipe!
