Food
Pasta with Butter and Cheese
By Ryan Hurd · Published Aug 6, 2026
Servings
Serves 3-6
Prep
5 min
Cook
20 min
Difficulty
Easy
I've made this with spaghetti, fettuccine, alfredo noodles, homemade, store-bought -- honestly it doesn't matter much, it's all good and cheesy. It's a fairly quick, uninvolved meal for a weeknight, and it works just as well with gluten-free pasta if that's what you need. It's also about as close to dairy-free as a butter-and-cheese sauce gets, since real Parmigiano-Reggiano is quite low in lactose. That said, Parmigiano-Reggiano is recommended but not required -- a good Wisconsin parmesan from your local grocery store works just fine too. I like to top this with a blackened chicken breast (see the paired recipe), and we'll usually round it out with store-bought garlic bread or a side of veggies depending on how we're feeling.
Ingredients
- • 1 lb fettuccine (or spaghetti, or whatever noodle you have -- gluten-free works great too)
- • 3 qt water
- • 1 Tbsp plus 1/2 tsp salt, divided
- • 5 Tbsp salted butter
- • 4 oz (about 1 1/2 to 2 cups) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (or a good Wisconsin parmesan)
- • 1 cup reserved starchy pasta water
- • A pinch of extra salt, for garnish
Steps
- 1.Bring the water to a boil and stir in 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (usually about 8 - 11 minutes), stirring occasionally so the pasta doesn't stick together.
- 2.Just before draining, scoop out a cup of the starchy cooking water and set it aside. Drain the pasta and return it to the empty pot.
- 3.Add the butter, grated cheese, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a splash the reserved pasta water to the pot.
- 4.Toss everything together with tongs for about a minute. It'll look loose and watery at first -- that's normal. Pull it off the heat, cover, and let it sit for a minute.
- 5.Uncover and toss vigorously for another 30 seconds or so, until the sauce turns glossy and clings to the tongs.
- 6.Serve immediately in warmed bowls with a light pinch of salt on top.
Notes
- • Works well with gluten-free pasta.
- • Nearly dairy-free, since real Parmigiano-Reggiano is quite low in lactose.
- • Parmigiano-Reggiano is recommended but not required -- a good Wisconsin parmesan works fine. Buy blocks of Parmigiano-Reggiano, grate, separate oyt into 4 oz portions, and freeze it to speed up the process slightly!
- • Great topped with salmon/blackened chicken breast, and pairs well with store-bought garlic bread or a side of veggies.
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