Description
This is the easiest pasta dinner ever! These smoky buttered noodles are rich, garlicky, and ready in just 20 minutes with simple pantry staples.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 12 oz whole wheat pasta or your favorite pasta
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup pasta water (reserved)
- 1/4 cup salted, roasted almonds, roughly chopped
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about ½ cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the butter turns golden brown and smells nutty, about 3–5 minutes. Watch closely so it doesn’t burn.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the minced garlic. Cook for 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Add the smoked paprika and red pepper flakes. Stir for about 30 seconds to toast the spices and bring out their flavor.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet along with ¼ cup of reserved pasta water. Toss well until the pasta is evenly coated and glossy. Add more pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Top with almonds, season with salt and black pepper to taste, then serve immediately.