Browned Butter Alfredo Pasta

4.75 from 12 votes

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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.

Browned Butter Alfredo Pasta

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.

pasta alfredo

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!)

alfredo pasta recipe

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
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4.75 from 12 votes

Browned Butter Alfredo Pasta

This Browned Butter Alfredo Pasta recipe is a super simple, crazy flavor packed decadent meal! Save it to your list of favorite dinners!
servings 6 servings
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

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

Calories: 660kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 536mg | Potassium: 229mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1270IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 323mg | Iron: 1.2mg
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Alfredo Pasta
Other recipes you might like:

Alfredo Stuffed Shells

Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Brown Butter Alfredo Baked Ravioli

Roasted Red Pepper & Goat Cheese Alfredo

Chicken & Bacon Alfredo Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

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128 Responses
  1. Rosemary Maple Mustard Pork Roast | Lauren's Latest

    […] complain about. It’s just a lovely roasted and flavored piece of meat, especially with these. Or this. Orrrrrr this. […]

  2. Abby B

    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!!

  3. Delicious Browned Butter Garlic Pasta | b'ahava

    […] to find some yummy variation of pasta to try and stumbled upon two recipes that looked amazing.  Browned Butter Alfredo Pasta and Creamy Garlic Pasta.  I couldn’t decide on one so I opted to combine the two recipes and […]

  4. Kayla @ C'est La Vie

    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!

  5. Kayla @ C'est La Vie

    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!!

  6. Friday Favorites | Iowa Girl Eats

    […] cozy: Browned Butter Alfredo Pasta. Raise your hand if this photo makes you want to dive into your favorite pair of sweatpants, wrap […]

  7. Lindsey

    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…!

  8. Lindsey

    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.

    1. Lauren

      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!

  9. Lindsey

    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.

  10. Lauren’s Latest Browned Butter Alfredo Pasta | Combat Boots and Cookies

    […] Tonight I was in the mood for some creamy pasta but didn’t want just another basic sauce so I decided to try my next Pinterest experiment: Lauren’s Latest Browned Butter Alfredo Pasta (for the recipe go to https://laurenslatest.com/browned-butter-alfredo-pasta/ ) […]

  11. jordan

    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

  12. Angie | Big Bear's Wife

    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!

  13. Laura

    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!

  14. Lauren @ Rustic Honey

    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! 🙂

  15. Five Things Friday 6/28/13 | Kisslets at Home

    […] of new things to try for dinner (and dessert, but mostly dinner).  Lauren posted this recipe for Browned Butter Alfredo Pasta earlier this week, and I’m *sooo* excited to try it.  I’m putting it on the menu for […]

  16. Lauren's Latest » Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Filled Chocolate Pudding Cookies

    […] But in my defense, I just had a baby and I am 94% of the time exhausted. {The remaining 6% of time is spent shoving my pie hole with cookies…or buttery cheesy carbs.} […]

  17. Mel

    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!!!!

  18. Emily Wells

    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!!

  19. Dana

    OMG, Lauren!! This looks like a treat for the eyes AND the mouth. amazing! Also, your first instagram video, so precious!

  20. Mimi @ Culinary Couture

    You really can’t go wrong with pasta and cheese but add butter and OMG flavor overload! I can’t wait to try this!

  21. Emily Wells

    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. 😀

  22. Becky

    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 🙂

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