Classic Butter & Garlic Pasta (Simple Recipe)

For two servings, cook 200 g pasta in water salted with 10 g salt per liter. Melt 30 g butter over low heat, gently cook two small minced garlic cloves for 30–60 seconds, then toss in the pasta with 60 mL reserved pasta water. Add more water as needed; finish off the heat with Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

Wondering how a few simple ingredients turn into a silky sauce without cream? The key is not a long ingredient list. It is the starchy water left from cooking the pasta, which helps butter coat each strand instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.

I keep this recipe straightforward: cook the pasta, soften the garlic in butter, then toss everything together over low heat. Below, you’ll find the amounts, timing, cookware notes, and quick fixes that make the method easier to repeat on a standard stovetop.

Material Setup & Ingredient Prep

This recipe uses pasta, butter, garlic, salt, and optional Parmesan. Measure the ingredients before you start, and set aside a cup for pasta water. A clean pan that can hold the cooked pasta makes tossing simpler and helps the sauce coat it evenly.

Ingredients for two servings

200 g dry pasta, such as spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine
30 g unsalted butter
2 small garlic cloves, finely minced
2 L water
20 g salt for the cooking water
120 mL pasta water reserved before draining; you will start with 60 mL

20–30 g finely grated Parmesan, optional
Black pepper, to taste

The measurements follow a useful ratio: use 15 g butter and one small garlic clove for every 100 g dry pasta. Unsalted butter gives you more control over seasoning, especially because the cooking water also contains salt. If you use salted butter, taste before adding extra salt at the end.

Use a saucepan large enough for the pasta and water, plus a skillet or sauté pan roomy enough for the drained pasta and sauce. Stainless steel, tri-ply stainless steel, and enameled cookware are suitable options. Cast iron or carbon steel can also work, but neither is required. For induction, the pan needs a magnetic base; check the cookware maker’s guidance if you are unsure.

A PTFE nonstick pan is also an option when used as its maker directs. This recipe needs only low-to-medium heat, so there is no reason to heat the pan empty. Do not dry-preheat PTFE cookware, and do not exceed its maker’s temperature limit. If no lower limit is listed, keep it at or below 260°C (500°F).

Get set: Mince the garlic, measure the butter, and place a heat-safe cup beside the sink so you remember to save pasta water.

Pasta Cooking & Butter-Garlic Emulsion

An emulsion is a smooth mixture of ingredients that do not normally stay combined. Here, starch in the pasta water helps butter spread into a light sauce. Gentle heat and steady tossing bring the ingredients together without needing cream.

Boil the water. Bring 2 L water to a rolling boil in a pot. Add 20 g salt, which is 10 g per liter, then add the pasta. Stir during the first minute to help separate the strands.
Cook until just shy of al dente. Follow the package directions, but begin tasting the pasta about one minute before the listed al-dente time. It should be tender with a slight firm bite. Since it will spend another minute or two in the pan, it should not be fully soft when you drain it.

Save the pasta water. Before draining, scoop out at least 120 mL cooking water for 200 g pasta. The standard reserve is about 60 mL per 100 g dry pasta. Drain the pasta, but do not rinse it; rinsing removes surface starch that helps the sauce cling.
Warm the garlic in butter. While the pasta cooks, melt 30 g butter in the skillet over low heat. Add the minced garlic and stir for 30–60 seconds. Stop before it browns. Garlic can turn bitter when browned, and the milk solids in butter can scorch if the heat is too high.
Toss with water. Add the drained pasta and 60 mL reserved water to the skillet. Toss over low heat until the pasta looks glossy and evenly coated, usually about one minute. If the sauce seems tight or the pan looks dry, add more pasta water a splash at a time.

Finish off the heat. Turn off the burner before adding finely grated Parmesan, if using. Toss again, then taste. Add black pepper and only as much salt as needed.

The goal is a thin, glossy coating, not a pool of liquid. If the pasta looks dry, add a small splash of reserved water and toss again. If it looks watery, keep tossing briefly over low heat so the pasta and sauce come together. Don’t raise the heat to solve either problem; high heat can brown the garlic or scorch the butter.

What you notice	Try this	Why it helps
Pasta looks dry or clumps	Add 1 tablespoon pasta water and toss	Loosens the sauce while helping it coat the pasta
Liquid pools in the pan	Toss briefly over low heat	Gives the sauce and pasta time to combine
Garlic is browning quickly	Lower the heat or move the pan off the burner	Protects the garlic from turning bitter
Sauce tastes flat	Add a little salt or Parmesan, then taste again	Boosts seasoning without changing the method
Sauce tastes too salty	Add a splash of unsalted pasta water, if available, or more plain cooked pasta	Dilutes the seasoning

For 100 g dry pasta, begin with 15 g butter, one small garlic clove, and 30 mL pasta water in the pan. Scale up using the same ratio, but add water gradually. Pasta shapes and pan sizes vary, so the amount needed to make the sauce glossy may differ slightly.

Finish with a taste: Adjust salt and pepper only after the cheese, if any, has been mixed in.

Cookware Cleaning & Seasoning Care

After serving, let the pan cool before washing. A sudden temperature change can warp cookware or damage enamel, so do not pour cold water into a hot pan. Warm water and dish detergent are suitable for routine cleaning of stainless steel and enameled pans.

Transfer the pasta to bowls promptly, then let the skillet cool on a safe surface. Once it is no longer hot, wash it with warm water and detergent. For stuck-on butter or cheese, soak the pan with warm water before cleaning rather than scraping hard with a tool that could damage its surface.

Stainless steel and enameled cookware do not need seasoning. Cast iron and carbon steel have a seasoned surface, so follow the cookware maker’s care instructions. If your pan needs to be dried promptly to protect that surface, do so after washing. Do not quench any hot pan with cold water.

If you use PTFE nonstick, choose utensils and cleaning tools that the manufacturer recommends. Avoid overheating the empty pan; the recipe’s low heat is enough for melting butter and gently cooking garlic.

Clean safely: Let the pan cool, wash it with warm water and detergent, then dry it according to its care instructions.

Serving & Dining Presentation

Serve the pasta as soon as the sauce looks glossy. A warm bowl helps keep the butter sauce from firming up too quickly. Add Parmesan and black pepper at the table, or finish each portion with a small sprinkle before serving.

This dish works on its own for a quick meal or beside a simple vegetable. Keep additions modest if you want the butter and garlic to stay at the center of the flavor. If you add ingredients that release liquid, such as cooked vegetables, toss them with the pasta before deciding whether the sauce needs more water.

For a larger group, scale the ingredient ratios rather than crowding one small skillet. Tossing is easier when the pan gives the pasta room to move. If your pan is too small, combine the butter, garlic, pasta, and water in batches.

The most reliable last step is tasting. Parmesan can add salt, and pasta water already carries some seasoning, so adjust with care. Once the pasta is evenly coated and tastes balanced, serve it rather than leaving it in the warm pan.

Serve now: Divide the pasta between warm bowls and add any final cheese or pepper.

Frequently Asked Questions

These answers cover the common choices and small problems that come up while making butter and garlic pasta. Use them to adjust the method without changing its simple base: cooked pasta, gently warmed garlic, butter, and starchy water.

How much butter do I need for 200 g pasta?
Use 30 g butter, or 15 g for each 100 g dry pasta.

How much garlic should I use?
Use one small garlic clove per 100 g dry pasta. For 200 g pasta, use two small cloves.

How much salt goes in pasta water?
Use 10 g salt per 1 L water. For 2 L water, use 20 g salt.

How much pasta water should I save?
Reserve about 60 mL per 100 g dry pasta. For 200 g pasta, save at least 120 mL, then start the sauce with 60 mL.

Why did my butter sauce turn greasy?
It may need more pasta water or more tossing. Add water a tablespoon at a time over low heat until the sauce looks evenly glossy.

Can I use salted butter?
Yes. Use the same amount, then taste before adding extra salt because the butter and cooking water may already provide enough.

Can I make this without Parmesan?
Yes. Parmesan is optional. The butter, garlic, and pasta water still make a simple sauce; season to taste.

What if my garlic turns brown?
Lower the heat or move the pan off the burner. Browned garlic can taste bitter, so stop cooking as soon as it begins to color.

Can I use a nonstick pan?
Yes, if it is in good condition and used according to its maker’s instructions. Avoid dry preheating and keep the heat low to medium.

Can I make the pasta ahead?
It is best served just after tossing, when the sauce is glossy. If it tightens while waiting, add a small splash of hot water and toss gently before serving.

(This article was written by one of our staff writers, Steven R. Bancroft. Visit our Meet the Team page.)