Perfect Buttered Noodles

Buttered noodles is the perfectly simple and always comforting dish of our childhood that we never grew out of. For those nights when you need something fast and have no time or energy to cook, keep it a relaxed affair: a bowl of these noodles will feed you in under 30 minutes from start to finish. 

Use whatever pasta your heart desires (or whatever your pantry has in store at the moment) if you can't get your hands on egg noodles. This forgiving recipe will work equally well with pappardelle to proudly show off the generous amount of Parmesan you'll shower it with. For a more nostalgic and cute vibe, macaroni or shells are super kid-friendly—even if it's just for the kid inside us all! Want more of a project while still keeping the flavors simple? Why not make your own pasta from scratch? 

It's important to pay attention to and adjust cooking time when using different cuts of pasta, which all cook at different rates. More often than not, the number on the box lies! We recommend that you start tasting your noodles 2 to 4 minutes before the box dictates doneness and nibble on a noodle to test for yourself when it hits proper al dente texture—just be sure to blow on it a little first to avoid burning yourself!

Don't have Parmesan? Pecorino, Grana Padano, or any other hard, aged cheeses will be great substitutes. But really, when it comes down to it, you can use whatever cheese you'd like! If using softer cheeses like mozzarella or cheddar, add them right when the noodles are piping hot so they can melt smooth right away.

Vegan? Lucky for us, there are many good vegan butter offerings on the market nowadays. Instead of Parm, you can opt for some nutritional yeast (which is not actually yeast you can bake with!). Or, head on over to our best-ever vegan mac & cheese instead.

If you want to take your noodle game one step further, try your hand at making the Roman classics: cacio e pepe, alla gricia, carbonara, or amatriciana!

Once you've made these noodles, be sure to drop us a comment down below and let us know how you liked it!

Editor's note: The introduction to this recipe was edited to include more information on February 3, 2022.