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This Browned Butter Alfredo Pasta recipe is a super simple, crazy flavor-packed decadent meal! Save it to your list of favorite dinners!
Recipe originally published 06/23/13; updated with a video 02/10/17. LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe.
I made this browned butter alfredo pasta and DIED. Died of bliss and pure ecstasy. Basically this pasta is everything good and holy in the world amplified times a million….on a plate and then in my mouth. AAAAANNNNNNDDDDD!! It took 20 minutes to make with only 4 ingredients. PLUS these ingredients are almost always on hand. SNAP.
I live for brown butter and carbs.
The browned butter sauce is made just like any other alfredo sauce, except you brown the butter first, then stir in the cream and the cheese. Super easy.
(See the recipe card below for instructions on how to brown butter if you’ve never done it before! Don’t worry it’s easy and one of my favorite things to do in a lot of my recipes!)
Toss it together with a pound of pasta and voila! Dinner is done. Pair with broccoli, chicken, garlic bread or whatever else you love to have with pasta!
My husband took a bite of this and said “wow, this is pretty good!” then took another bite and said “yeah, this is REALLY good”.
Obvs. It’s really hard to mess up butter, cheese and pasta. Also, I don’t make bad food. I make good food, really good food. #my4yearoldwoulddisagree
Anyways, you’re going to want to make this immediately. Right now. Today. That is all.
Here’s the printable! Enjoy your Monday, friends.
Browned Butter Alfredo Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb. pasta any kind
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese use the real stuff
- salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt water and start cooking pasta.
- While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a heavy bottomed deep skillet over medium heat. Swirl pan occasionally to brown milk solids in the butter. Once butter starts to turn a medium brown color, turn heat to low and immediately pour in cream. Pan will sizzle, but as you stir it will subside. Sprinkle in cheese and continue stirring until cheese is completely melted and sauce is smooth. Taste and add in salt and lots of pepper, as desired.
- Drain pasta once it is al dente. Pour into warm sauce and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
Other recipes you might like:
Brown Butter Alfredo Baked Ravioli
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Made this tonight with some grilled chicken and asparagus. My husband said it was better than any restaurant Alfredo he’s had (and he orders it a lot out)! Thanks for the recipe!!
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Thanks for this one, fabulous! made this for dinner and we loved it. Super way, is always great too!
Ok, so I know I just posted, but now I have made this sauce and have decided it’s re-post worthy and wanted to share my combo of ingredients. I tossed the sauce over some cooked Truffle and Porcini Mushroom Gnocchi and Caramelized Onions (leftovers from: http://www.justataste.com/2013/10/best-grilled-cheese-sandwich-caramelized-balsamic-onions-recipe/). It was AMAZING! Really rich, but freakishly delicious! The onions were a great addition to an already delicious recipe. I honestly think this recipe was better than half the Italian Restaurants I’ve been to (and that’s a lot!) Thanks again for the recipe and being the inspiration for a new dish!
I made this last night and it was amazing! Now I’m off to browse the rest of your recipes! Thanks!
This looks amazing! Love Browned-Butter! Just made Fresh Apple Cake with Browned-Butter Frosting last night! Just as well I continue the theme and move on to Browned-Butter Alfredo Pasta tonight! Can’t wait! Thanks for the great recipe!!
Love this simple recipe. Thank you.
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Aaaand now my previous comment has shown up again. So now it looks like I’m just badgering you, which I’m not!! So sorry! Just wanted some help. Thanks…
Sorry…
Thanks…!
I thought I commented, but I don’t see it here now…
This didn’t turn out well for me and I’m wondering what you would suggest. After the creamy stage you mention, the butter separated out and the cheese congealed into a big glob. It was not edible. 🙁 But I’d love to try it again. Do you think I let it cook too long or not enough? Or do I need to let the sauce get really hot again after adding the cream, before adding the cheese? Or should I add the cheese a little at a time, letting it melt completely before sprinkling in a little more? Any feedback would be appreciated.
Hi Lindsey,
Got all your comments! Sorry this recipe didn’t work for you!
Once the butter has browned and you pour in the cream, your heat should be on low so the cream gets hot but doesn’t boil. This should be enough heat to melt all that cheese. Are you using pre-grated parmesan that you buy in a container or is it parmigianno reggiano {block of cheese with a rind} that you grated yourself? I’d recommend the block of cheese because then you know there aren’t any additives. {Those can sometimes jack up your sauce.} I would grate the cheese finely and sprinkle it in little by little and use a whisk. If you do get a glob in the middle, I’d keep stirring because it should all melt together evenly. Hope that helps!
This was a total failure. The butter separated out and the cheese became a gelatinous mess. Did I cook it too long or not long enough? (I promise I used the right kind of parmesan!) Help! I’d love to try it again, but don’t want to waste the ingredients until I know how to fix it.
Would half and half work as a substitute for the heavy cream?! Yum!!!
Yes, but it won’t be as thick of an alfredo sauce as it normally would if you used heavy cream.
Suggestions for other cheeses that could be added along with the parmesan?
Romano is a great one to add in!
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what type of pasta did you use? I looked up and down the pasta isle and I love the tight spiral kind but couldn’t find it
It’s called Gemelli. I got it at Costco!
Has anyone tried this with chicken?
I probably use brown butter in 90% of the cookies I make now but WOW in pasta! Never would have thought to do that! Will be making this soon!
This was immediately inspirational!! Such a great quick & easy recipe. I added some sautéed baby portabella mushrooms and pencil-asparagus. I also added a bit of garlic and cayenne for spice (before adding cheese, after cream). I substituted a bit of gruyere and Gouda alongside the parm because it was in my fridge. Thanks for the great recipe!
You had me at browned butter! Wow! This looks so amazing, creamy, delicious and I’m thinking simple enough, for me to pull off on a weeknight! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
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Seriously?!?! This took all of 15 minutes (maybe) and then I died and went to heaven and kept eating because they are definitely eating this in heaven- it is divine. My husband who was “not hungry” ate a whole dish before I could blink. We had your parmesan and garlic linguine in our regular rotation and this one is going into the “must make regularly” folder. Thank you!!!!
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Made this last night… Super Super Easy! and Good!
Yay! Glad you liked it 🙂
Looks delicious! My guys will definitely love this!
Nothing is better than browned butter, in my opinion. This is haven. A delicious one, of course 😉
That looks incredible! What kind of noodles are those?
We just finished dinner. I would like to say that I love you for sharing this recipe, but I also feel like a beached whale, lol this was SO good and SO worth the calories!!
Wow, Lauren! This looks so luscious and easy. I love it!
Mmm, Browned Butter is my life!
OMG, Lauren!! This looks like a treat for the eyes AND the mouth. amazing! Also, your first instagram video, so precious!
You really can’t go wrong with pasta and cheese but add butter and OMG flavor overload! I can’t wait to try this!
Your instagram cracked me up!
I’m making this for dinner tonight. I had everything it calls for except for the heavy cream, but I just got home from the store, heavy cream in hand. 😀
This looks so good! I’m going to make this for dinner tonight!
Love quick and easy dinners–this browned butter pasta looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it out.
This looks sinful!
Now that is a pasta dish!
I shouldn’t be craving pasta so early but I am!! Wow!
Love this! Also, that video of your son is AMAZING! So cute.
Yes, yes, yes! Browned butter and pasta just belong together!!
Oh lawd Jesus this looks amazing!!!
This looks great!
My children are the same way…in a moment of frustration, I’ve told them, “Everyone else in this world thinks I’m a good cook!!!” Sheesh 🙂
I love that! lol
Brown butter! Say no more, I am in!!
You had me at browned butter!
Yes, I’m about to die, too. I need this!!