Smoky Brown-Butter Pasta
Smoky brown-butter pasta is a pantry-friendly, grown-up version of beloved buttered noodles. Brown butter, smoked paprika, and garlic create a sauce that makes a big impact with no extra ingredients. Its success is twofold: First, make sure to really brown your butter.
Ingredients · Servings 4
- 12 oz. spaghetti
- Kosher salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp. smoked paprika
- Freshly ground pepper
- Chopped salted roasted almonds and parsley (for serving; optional)
Method · 30 min
- Cook 12 oz. spaghetti in a large pot of boiling generously salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid, and set aside.
- Cook ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter in same pot over medium-high heat, stirring and scraping bottom often to prevent burning, until it foams, then browns and is very fragrant, about 4 minutes. Quickly stir in 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, and 2 Tbsp. smoked paprika, then immediately add reserved pasta and ½ cup pasta cooking liquid. Cook, stirring and adding more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until a loose, glossy sauce forms, 2–3 minutes. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Divide pasta among shallow bowls and top with chopped salted roasted almonds and parsley if desired.
