published on in Glamorous Persona

I've been making my family's 5-ingredient brown-butter pasta since I was in college. Here's how to c

2022-08-01T16:56:45Z
  • I've been making my family's recipe for brown-butter pasta since I was in college.
  • It only calls for 5 ingredients and takes about 15 minutes to make, so it's great for quick meals.
  • If you want to add one more ingredient, sugar really helps to balance out all the flavors. 

As an inherently lazy cook, my family's five-ingredient brown-butter pasta dish is an all-around winner.

I relied on the recipe a lot in my university years. Now it's back in full force thanks to my 11-month-old baby, who's become a bit of a picky eater. 

The pasta dish is great for kids and adults, and it serves well for breakfast or dinner

The recipe only calls for a handful of basic ingredients. Tiffany Leigh

This dish is a big hit with my daughter, but it also appeals to adults. I'd traditionally make it with spaghetti or fettuccine noodles, but rigatoni and penne are best for little hands.

The brown butter takes an otherwise simple recipe and transforms it into something sublime.

Brown butter adds so much flavor. Tiffany Leigh

The dish is so tasty that sometimes we'll even eat it for breakfast by adding a glossy fried egg on top and a sprinkle of chili flakes (for the adults only).

The optional 6th ingredient is sugar, but I highly recommend the addition

The sugar enhances all of the other flavors. Tiffany Leigh

The recipe technically only requires five ingredients. The sugar called for is optional, but my mom (who's a stellar cook) always taught me everything needs balance. 

If you look at the flavor profiles, there's acid, salt, bitter, and fat, but it's missing some sweetness.

Adding sugar enhances every ingredient and makes them shine. 

You can finish everything off with a sprinkle of cheese. Tiffany Leigh

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound uncooked pasta
  • 1/2 cup butter (salted or unsalted)
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1 generous pinch granulated sugar (optional) 

Instructions:

  • In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of fine salt to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for two minutes less than the box calls for so it's al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water.
  • While the pasta is cooking, in a saucepan over medium heat, melt and swirl the butter until it starts to foam and turn golden brown with a nutty smell. Don't walk away as the change happens quickly.
  • Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the salt, pepper, optional sugar, and lemon juice — be careful, the mixture will likely spit and sputter.
  • Add the reserved pasta water to the sauce and continuously stir for one to two minutes until thickened slightly.
  • Turn off the heat before adding the lemon zest, cheese, and cooked pasta to the sauce. Stir and toss until all the pasta is evenly coated. Garnish with a little more grated Parmesan, if desired.

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