Garlic Parmesan Pasta

This is basically Italian cacio e pepe but with garlic and butter instead of black pepper. The pasta water does all the heavy lifting to create a silky sauce that coats every strand.

June Arthurs
January 30, 2026
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Ingredients (~6 servings)

  • 1 lb dry spaghetti
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups reserved pasta water (from cooking spaghetti)
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1 Tbsp pieces
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic (~4-5 cloves)
  • 3 oz parmesan, finely shredded (~1 1/2 heaping cups)

Boil the Pasta Until Al Dente

Bring 12-14 cups water to a boil in a large pot; season with 1 1/2 Tbsp salt.

Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions – usually ~10-12 minutes depending on the brand.

Before draining, scoop out and reserve 1 1/2 cups of the starchy pasta water; then drain the spaghetti.

Build the Garlic Butter Base

Return the empty pot to medium-low heat and melt the butter.

Add garlic and sauté until fragrant and just barely starting to deepen in color – this takes ~1 minute.

Don’t let the garlic brown or it’ll turn bitter.

Toss Everything Together Off the Heat

Remove the pot from heat immediately once the garlic is fragrant.

Return the drained pasta to the pot with the butter mixture and pour in 3/4 cup of the hot pasta water; toss to combine.

Sprinkle in the parmesan cheese and toss until it melts into a creamy sauce, adding more reserved pasta water a splash at a time as needed.

The goal is a silky sauce that coats the pasta without being too thick or too thin.

Season with salt and pepper to taste – the parmesan is already salty so start light.

Garlic Parmesan Pasta

This is basically Italian cacio e pepe but with garlic and butter instead of black pepper. The pasta water does all the heavy lifting to create a silky sauce that coats every strand.
prep time10 minutes
cook time15 minutes
total time25 minutes
Print Recipe

Ingredients

Ingredients (~6 servings)

  • 1 lb dry spaghetti
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups reserved pasta water, from cooking spaghetti
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1 Tbsp pieces
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic, ~4-5 cloves
  • 3 oz parmesan, ~1 1/2 heaping cups, finely shredded

Instructions

  • Bring salted water to boil and cook spaghetti until al dente, about 10-12 minutes.
  • Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta water before draining.
  • Melt butter in pot over medium-low heat and sauté garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Remove from heat and add pasta, 3/4 cup reserved water, and parmesan.
  • Toss until cheese melts and creates creamy sauce, adding more pasta water as needed.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

Don’t brown garlic or it will taste bitter.