When you think of butter sauce for pasta, you might get transported back to your childhood and the classic buttered noodles with salt and pepper your mom used to make. While those are still delicious, butter sauce for pasta is a category that’s come a long way and offers endless combinations of butter and flavor.
What is butter sauce made of?
Classic butter sauce, or as the French say, “Beurre Blanc,” consists of just a few kitchen staple ingredients. Melted butter is combined with water and then thickened—usually with either flour or cornstarch, but sometimes with egg yolk. You can stop there, or you can add some extra flavors for seasonings like lemon juice, garlic, and capers. You name it, you can combine it with butter.
How do you thicken butter sauce for pasta?
As we mentioned, flour and cornstarch are the most popular ingredients used to thicken butter sauce for pasta. After you’ve heated your butter and water combo in your skillet, turn your heat down so nothing scorches as you work in the dry ingredients. Then slowly whisk in your flour or cornstarch. Whisk constantly, adding more bit by bit until you have that creamy consistency you’re looking for. This can take anywhere up to around five minutes.
How do you keep butter sauce from separating?
Nothing is worse than your pasta getting ruined because your sauce breaks or separates while cooking. The trick is a combination of going quickly and taking your time. Move the whisk at top speed when mixing in your dry ingredient, but add it into your sauce slowly. Your sauce is also less likely to break if your dairy ingredients are super fresh, which is something you can count on when you choose Epicurean Butter.
4 ways to use butter to enhance your pasta
- Brown butter: The French call this one “beurre noisette.” Brown butter sauce seems fancy, but it’s actually really simple to whip up. It’s essentially just cooking your butter in a skillet until it starts to brown. With ourGarlic Parmesan Brown Butter Pastarecipe, you don’t need to cook any garlic to add to the sauce—it’s already in the butter.
- Hollandaise:Remember how we mentioned you can use egg yolk to thicken your butter sauce for pasta? Hollandaise sauce isn’t just for eggs and salmon.Try it on your pastasometime.
- Garlic butter: A classic butter sauce doesn’t need many bells and whistles. Plus, ourPasta Primaverarecipe doesn’t even require you to add your garlic in separately. Toss in some fresh, seasonal veggies, and you’re good to go.
- Lemon butter: Another favorite way to make butter sauce for pasta is toenhance it with lemon, which can lighten up the heaviness you can sometimes get when eating a bowl of pasta for dinner. Even better, you can swap plain butter for Epicurean ButterLemon Garlic Herb Flavored Butterto save time, money, and ingredients.
Traditional basil pesto sauce doesn’t usually have butter in it, but our uniqueArugula Pesto With Tuscan Herb Butteris a fun, seasonal spin on the popular green sauce. Arugula, garlic, cheese, walnuts, lemon juice, zest, and melted Epicurean ButterTuscan Herb Flavored Buttercome together for a flavorful pasta you won’t forget. Plus, the Tuscan Herb Flavored Butter saves you time and ingredients while adding some extra zing.
You can even use butter to cut the onion and tomato’s sharpness whenmaking a tomato-based sauce. With many of the sauces above, you don’t even need a thickening ingredient—so no worrying about breaking the sauce.
Get more flavor with Epicurean Butter
Everything is better with butter, especially pasta. And you can enhance yours even more with the wide variety of versatile flavors from Epicurean Butter.
FAQs
Arugula, garlic, cheese, walnuts, lemon juice, zest, and melted Epicurean Butter Tuscan Herb Flavored Butter come together for a flavorful pasta you won't forget. Plus, the Tuscan Herb Flavored Butter saves you time and ingredients while adding some extra zing.
Does adding butter to pasta make it better? ›
A small amount of fat—extra-virgin olive oil or butter—is essential to good pasta sauce texture. Without fat, you have at best watery sauce (nobody has ever said, "Waiter, my pasta is not quite wet enough"), and at worst sauce that over-thickens with starch alone and takes on a pasty texture.
Can you add butter to cooked pasta? ›
Step 1In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and return to pot. Add butter and stir until melted, then season with salt and pepper. Step 2Serve with Parmesan.
How to elevate buttered noodles on Reddit? ›
I make a fancy version of buttered noodles with parmesan, lemon juice, basil (dried flakes), and salt and pepper to taste. Pairs really nice with Kielbasa sausage which is also really easy to prepare.
What is the purpose of adding butter to a sauce? ›
Monter au Beurre is a French term used to describe the process of adding or whisking in whole, cold butter into a sauce or puree at the end of the cooking process. This process, which is usually done off the heat, adds shine, flavor and richness.
How much butter should I add to my pasta sauce? ›
The amount of butter used is ultimately a matter of taste, but start by adding 2 tablespoons, stirring it into your sauce as it melts. Hazan's recipe calls for 5 tablespoons of butter, so feel free to add more until you get the flavor and texture you like.
Is butter or olive oil better on pasta? ›
Smart Swap: Pasta Dishes
You can easily substitute olive oil for butter in most pasta recipes, especially ones that have lots of fresh vegetables. Choose recipes that are lightly dressed and avoid pastas with rich cream sauces (which require butter).
Does butter make pasta thicker? ›
To be clear, butter won't thicken up sauces quite like cornstarch or something similar would, but it's great for adding extra richness and glossy texture to pasta and pan sauces.
Does butter help pasta not stick? ›
Some cooks swear by adding oil or butter to the cooking water or to the freshly drained pasta to help avoid sticking. But unless you're making a pasta dish that has a simple finish (such as a pasta paired with olive oil and spices), the oil or butter could it hard for your sauce to cling to your noodles.
Does butter taste good in spaghetti? ›
Turns out butter goes very well with pasta, in the form of a little added emulsification of your favorite tomato sauce.
Fresh or dried herbs will also add flavor to pasta dishes.
"I use a lot of parsley, either fresh or even dried," Montillo said. "Oregano, garlic powder, onion flakes, black pepper all work well in a variety of sauces."
How can I elevate my home pasta? ›
Easy Ways to Elevate Your Pasta
- Add shiitake “bacon” Shiitake “bacon” was an NGI staple, and for good reason. ...
- Get creative with pesto. Pesto can be made with anything from herbs, to leafy greens, to the tops of carrots or beets. ...
- Include cheese alternatives. ...
- Spiralize your veggies. ...
- Keep it simple.
Cook a pack of noodles in chicken stock and add sweetcorn, peas or chopped beans. Add sliced leftover chicken breast and a soft boiled egg to make it extra filling.
When should I add butter to pasta? ›
How to Emulsify Pasta
- Step One: Cook Pasta Till Al Dente. ...
- Step Two: Reserve 2 cups of pasta water. ...
- Step Three: Drain Pasta and Return Pot to Low Heat. ...
- Step Four: Add 1 cup of pasta water and 6 tablespoons of butter. ...
- Step Five: Time to Customize. ...
- Step Six: Garnish and Enjoy.
The butter is what gives you a restaurant-quality sauce at home. It adds silky and smooth richness to the sauce, cuts down the heat a little, and of course, adds great flavor!
Does cooking with butter add flavor? ›
Butter is another fat that brings a lot of it's own character to a dish. “While it's carrying flavor, it's imparting flavor as well,” says senior food editor Andy Baraghani.
Should you put oil or butter in pasta water? ›
Contrary to popular myth, adding oil into the water does not stop pasta sticking together. It will only make the pasta slippery which means your delicious sauce will not stick. Instead, add salt to the pasta water when it comes to the boil and before you add the pasta.
Does butter make things taste better? ›
Fatty foods are often more flavorful because many flavors dissolve in fats. Butter works very well as a flavor carrier for spices, vanilla and other fat soluble ingredients. When you sauté an onion in butter before adding the base ingredients, all the flavor from the onions will be carried by the butter into the dish.
