Parmesan Garlic Butter Noodles Recipe

Grown Up Buttered Noodles with Parmesan and Garlic — a grown-up take on the buttery pasta many of us loved as kids. Plenty of garlic, grated Parmesan, lemon juice and zest, and a splash of heavy cream take simple buttered noodles to a more sophisticated, irresistible level.

These photos were taken during a cook day for one of my personal chef clients and later appeared on my Instagram feed.

“I had buttered noodles for dinner tonight,” my daughter said. “I wish I had seen this recipe first — I’m definitely making them next time.”

She noticed a family-sized portion of the grown-up buttered noodles with Parmesan and garlic. My daughter has always loved simple buttered pasta — melted butter, salt, and noodles have been her comfort food through childhood, the teen years, college and into adulthood.

To give the familiar dish a little more pizzazz, I experimented with the basic recipe until it felt more refined while staying quick and comforting.

Why you’ll love buttered noodles with Parmesan

It’s a simple dish with big flavor: garlicky butter clings to every noodle, nutty Parmesan boosts the savory notes, and lemon juice, zest and fresh parsley brighten the whole plate. A touch of heavy cream makes the sauce silky without weighing it down.

This is ideal for a quick weeknight dinner or as a side that pairs with many mains. I often serve these noodles with roasted shrimp or crispy baked cod, but they’re delicious on their own as well.

The ingredients

A handful of readily available ingredients delivers a flavorful result:

• spaghetti (or your preferred pasta)
• butter
• olive oil
• garlic — lots of it, chopped
• lemon juice and zest
• heavy cream
• grated Parmesan cheese
• kosher salt
• black pepper
• fresh parsley, chopped

Recipe details

This recipe is quick and easy to make and comes together in about 20 minutes.

Cook the pasta according to package directions, then drain and set aside. Do not rinse — the surface starch helps the sauce cling to the noodles.

While the pasta finishes, warm the butter and olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and begins to foam, add the chopped garlic and sauté briefly — about 30 seconds — until fragrant. Add the lemon juice and stir to combine.

Turn off the heat, add the drained pasta, heavy cream, grated Parmesan, chopped parsley and lemon zest to the pan. Toss with tongs until the noodles are evenly coated and the cheese has melted into a silky sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

Serve in large bowls and offer extra Parmesan at the table.

Suggestions and tips

• Use any pasta shape you prefer — just choose shapes that have similar cook times if mixing types.
• Don’t rinse the pasta after draining. The starch helps the sauce adhere and adds flavor.
• Saute garlic only briefly. About 30 seconds is enough; letting it brown can make it bitter.
• Leftovers keep well for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat portions in a microwave-safe bowl at 60% power for about 1 minute, stir, and serve.

More noodle recipes

• 30 Minute Parmesan Pasta and Peas with Sweet Italian Sausage
• Quick and Easy Bacon and Tomato Pasta with Peas
• Creamy Tomato Pasta
• Muffin Tin Mac and Cheese Bites

Just one more thing

If you make this buttered noodles with Parmesan and garlic, I’d love to hear about it — leave a comment or rating and share a photo on Instagram. I enjoy seeing your versions and try to respond to comments when I can.

Recipe