Garlic Butter Pasta

Name: Garlic Butter Pasta
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1.5 Lb Dried Spaghetti; 0.5 Lb Unsalted Butter; 10 cloves Garlic Cloves, Minced; 12 Oz Parmesan Cheese, Finely Grated; 2 Tbsp Kosher Salt; 1 Tsp Black Pepper, Freshly Cracked; 0.5 Cup Fresh Parsley, Chopped

Pantry pasta the rookies can nail

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Serves 8
Difficulty: easy

Pantry pasta the rookies can nail. Sized for a full crew, with timing that still works when the kitchen gets interrupted.

Why crews like it: A hall pick for tight shifts — one line, real portions, no drama at the stove.

694Cal

22gProtein

66gCarbs

38gFat

Ingredients

1.5 Lb Dried Spaghetti
0.5 Lb Unsalted Butter
10 cloves Garlic Cloves, Minced
12 Oz Parmesan Cheese, Finely Grated
2 Tbsp Kosher Salt
1 Tsp Black Pepper, Freshly Cracked
0.5 Cup Fresh Parsley, Chopped

Instructions

Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil (water should taste like the sea). Add spaghetti and stir once so strands don't stick. Cook 1 minute shy of package time — you'll finish in the butter. Reserve 2 cups pasta water before draining.
Make garlic butter: While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. When foam subsides, add garlic and swirl 45–60 seconds until fragrant and pale gold — not brown. If garlic darkens fast, pull the pan off heat for 10 seconds.
Toss and finish: Add drained pasta to the garlic butter. Toss vigorously, adding pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce clings glossy to every strand. Fold in Parmesan off heat. Taste — Garlic Butter Pasta should be rich, salty, and silky. Adjust with salt, pepper, and more butter if needed.
Serve immediately: Serve straight from the pot or transfer to a warm tray lined with foil. Top with parsley and extra Parmesan. This dish does not hold well on a steam table — call the crew as soon as it is tossed.

Tonight's spread

Plate Garlic Butter Pasta with sides in separate pans so the crew can mix portions.
Line up Garlic Butter Pasta on the main counter with serving spoons — firefighters grab fast between calls.
Keep a backup tray warm in the oven at 200°F for late arrivals after a run.

Hall tips

Assign one cook to proteins and one to sides — rookies stay on timing, not multitasking.
Prep all mise en place before the bell — this meal wins on organization, not speed hacks.
Keep a backup tray warm in the oven for late calls — nothing worse than cold plates after a run.
Taste for salt at the end — hall palates run salty after long shifts.

Substitutions

Any short pasta shape works — penne, rigatoni, or spaghetti.

Meal prep

Minimal prep — chop aromatics before shift change so you can cook as soon as the board quiets.

Leftovers

Cool leftovers in shallow containers within two hours — deep pots stay hot too long.
Label trays with date and reheat to 165°F minimum before second shift.
Add a splash of stock or water when reheating — thick sauces tighten in the fridge.

8-quart stock pot
Large sheet trays
Instant-read thermometer
Aluminum foil