This Easy Butter Spaghetti recipe is the definition of simple comfort food. With just a handful of pantry staples, you can make a satisfying dinner that both kids and adults love. Whether you need a quick weeknight meal, an easy side dish, or a picky-eater favorite, butter spaghetti always delivers.
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What Is Butter Spaghetti?
Whether your kids are going through picky eating phase or are just plain old pasta lovers, they will love this simple pasta recipe, and so will you! Buttery noodles are tossed with grated parmesan cheese and sprinkled with pepper (as much as is tolerable for your little ones).
Butter Spaghetti is not only quick and easy, it's simple on the palate which makes it a great meal option for kids. Enjoy it as a full meal with a side of meatball toast or serve alongside an easy main like air fried chicken nuggets or fish sticks.
Why this recipe works
- Uses simple, affordable ingredients
- Ready in under 20 minutes
- Naturally kid-friendly and customizable
Ingredients For Butter Spaghetti
- 8 ounces spaghetti
- 5 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Black pepper to taste
How To Make Butter Spaghetti
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous amount of salt to the boiling water (about 2 tablespoons), then add noodles. Stir and cook for the time indicated on the box.
- Drain the noodles (do not rinse) into a colander.
- Add butter to the hot pot, stirring until it's melted. Put the noodles back into the pot and toss with butter until evenly coated. Sprinkle in parmesan cheese and stir well.
- Place buttered parmesan noodles into serving bowls. Sprinkle with black pepper to taste.
What To Serve With Butter Spaghetti
As a side dish, pair your buttered noodles with meatloaf muffins, chicken nuggets or chicken tenders, fish sticks, meatballs, hot dogs and hamburgers. As a main dish, buttered noodles compliments roasted vegetables and vegetable patties like broccoli and cheese fritters. My kids love having theirs with a refreshing strawberry banana smoothie.
Variations and Add-Ins
If you're looking to spruce up this kid-friendly meal try adding: fresh herbs such as parsley and basil, chopped broccoli, rotisserie chicken, ground sausage, shrimp, diced hot dogs, bacon bits, red pepper flakes, freshly squeezed lemon, garlic cloves, peas, or spinach.
If you'd like a saucier dish, reserve the pasta water and add it with the butter in small amounts until achieving the consistency that you desire.
How To Store and Reheat Leftovers
Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Microwave with a splash of water or butter or reheat on the stovetop over low heat.
Recipe FAQs
Butter spaghetti is made with cooked pasta, butter, parmesan cheese and pepper.
Yes, it's one of the most kid-friendly pasta dishes because of its simple, mild flavor. Skip the black pepper if needed to suite a kid's palate.
Recipe
Butter Spaghetti Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce package spaghetti noodles
- 10 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous amount of salt to the boiling water (about 2 tablespoons), then add noodles. Stir and cook for the time indicated on the box. Drain the noodles (do not rinse) into a colander.
- Add butter to the hot pot, stirring until it's melted. Put the noodles back into the pot and toss with butter until evenly coated. Sprinkle in parmesan cheese and stir well.
- Place buttered parmesan noodles into serving bowls and sprinkle with black pepper to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
Keri says
These noodles were the perfect family friendly dinner. The kids loved it. We added some frozen peas and topped with a bit of parsley.
nancy says
super creamy and kids love it!!
Amy Liu Dong says
Is this similar to carbonara? If yes then I bet this taste so good! I haven't tried this kind of spaghetti and I can't wait to try one.
Laura Barmettler says
I love butter spaghetti. Also, in a salad - WONDERFUL! A versatile noodle.
Sean says
This is such an easy recipe when I don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen and spaghetti is one of my favorite noodles.
Colleen says
This simple recipe is perfect for kids. It was gobbled up quickly so I will definately make it often.
Sharon says
When I'm looking for a simple side dish, I am going to make up another batch of these buttered noodles. They were the perfect quick side.
Veronika says
Such a simple pasta dish and even the pickiest eaters will love it! This is my new go to. I added shrimp to mine and served it with a side salad.
Jacqueline Debono says
This butter spaghetti is very similar to what was the original pasta Alfredo until people started adding cream and other ingredients. Here in Italy, this is a favourite kids recipe and made by Italian mothers everywhere. Simple and delicious!
Ann says
This is one of my go-to noodles recipes when I need a side dish. Always loved by everyone!
Jamie says
Awesome! This dish looks amazingly yummy! The simplicity of this dish makes it so enticing and mesmerizing! I totally love it and will definitely make this for the family!
Amy Liu Dong says
I have never tried to make butter pasta but this one looks so easy and delicious. I will def make this for tonight!
Hayley Dhanecha says
People came for seconds, I made for my frien'd baby shower. Simple, so easy and quick recipe with great flavours!
Ann says
This spaghetti is exactly what I was looking for! Such an easy recipe for a busy night.
Maggie says
I'm Mexican, and when my son was little he would come home from school and ask for this. I had ask other moms what he was asking for. lol. Now, we eat it all the time. Minus the black pepper.
Ann says
This was super delicious! Probably one of my favorite ways to eat spaghetti! My kids always love this!
Joyce says
I've been making this, or a variation, for decades. About 35 years ago, when I was teaching my son how to cook basic things, one of his absolute favorite pasta dishes was "plain onion spaghetti, Mom, the kind with tons of butter!" We would caramelize one large Vidalia onion, then would add it along with warmed olive oil and melted butter to the cooked spaghetti. SOOOO GOOD!!!
Even though my son is no longer alive, that is one of my favorite dishes to make for myself. It's both delicious, and a reminder of my handsome boy who used to be my favorite sous chef 😊.