Western
Garlic Butter Spaghetti
Pantry pasta at its best — garlic, butter and a little chilli in 15 minutes, one pot.
About this recipe
Garlic Butter Spaghetti is a western lunch for 2 that is built around one boiling pot — easy to scale and hard to overthink., and it takes around 15 min start to finish. We sized it for a small household and ranked it on OneToCook by how much of it you already have in the fridge.
Good to know
* Dietary flags are derived from the listed ingredients — always check labels and your own needs for allergens.
Ingredients
- 180g spaghetti
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp butter buy
- 1 tsp chilli flakes buy
- to serve parmesan buy
Equipment
Method
- 1
Boil spaghetti in well-salted water until al dente; save a cup of pasta water.
~9 min
- 2
Gently melt butter with sliced garlic and chilli flakes on low — do not brown, 2 min.
~2 min
- 3
Toss pasta in the garlic butter with a splash of pasta water until glossy.
~2 min
- 4
Finish with parmesan and black pepper.
~1 min
Smart swaps
Out of something? Try one of these.
- Garlic
- garlic powder (¼ tsp per clove) at a push.
- Butter
- neutral oil or olive oil 1:1 (for frying); the dish just loses a little richness.
- Parmesan
- pecorino, grana padano, or a little extra salt + nutritional yeast.
Cook's notes
- Smash each clove with the flat of your knife first — the skin slips off and it minces in seconds. How to mince garlic →
- Deseed the chilli for less heat, and wash your hands (or wear a glove) before touching your eyes. How to prep chilli →
- Do your chopping first (mise en place). With everything prepped, the actual cooking here is only about 12 min.
Storage & leftovers
Cool, then store airtight in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout; add a splash of water if it has dried out.
Frequently asked
How long does Garlic Butter Spaghetti take to make? +
Around 15 min from start to finish, almost all of it hands-on.
How many people does this recipe serve? +
As written it serves 2. To cook for 4, roughly multiply the ingredients — but cook in batches if the pan gets crowded, so things sear instead of steaming.
What equipment do I need? +
You’ll want: induction hob, pot. OneToCook only suggests recipes that fit the equipment you tell it you have, so you can filter these out if your kitchen is more minimal.
What can I use if I'm missing an ingredient? +
Common swaps for this dish: Garlic → garlic powder (¼ tsp per clove) at a push; Butter → neutral oil or olive oil 1:1 (for frying); the dish just loses a little richness; Parmesan → pecorino, grana padano, or a little extra salt + nutritional yeast. See the full list of smart swaps above.
Can I make Garlic Butter Spaghetti ahead of time? +
Cool, then store airtight in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout; add a splash of water if it has dried out.
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