Name: Butter Parmesan Noodles
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 13 min
Total time: 18 min
Ingredients: 16 ounces egg noodles; ¼ cup reserved pasta water; ¼ cup unsalted butter; ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (plus more for serving); Salt and pepper (to taste); Freshly chopped parsley (for garnish)

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These Butter Parmesan Noodles are an easy and versatile entree or side dish. They’re made with tender egg noodles dressed in a delicate and comforting butter parmesan sauce.

Easy Buttered Egg Noodles

Ready to discover the easiest and tastiest recipe ever?

These Butter Parmesan Noodles have the best, most comforting flavor using just pasta, pasta water, butter, parmesan, salt, and pepper. It’s ready in under 15 minutes and dirties just one pan.

Enjoy these noodles on their own as a light meal or round your meal out with your favorite protein and veggie.

Easiest. Dinner. Ever!

Ingredients for the Best Buttered Noodles:

You’ll find the exact measurements and full instructions in the recipe card near the bottom of the page.

Butter noodles are made with a few simple ingredients making them the ultimate comfort food! The best part? The whole family will love easy parmesan noodles, even picky eaters enjoy them.

Noodles: Use any variety of noodles you like cooked to al dente so they aren’t too soft.
Reserved Pasta Water: It’s possible you may not need the starchy pasta water, but it’s better to have it just in case. It’s great for loosening the noodles a bit once the butter gets added.
Butter: We prefer to use unsalted butter for this recipe, but salted butter works if that’s what you have on hand.
Cheese: Grated parmesan cheese adds a wonderful flavor to these butter noodles. We use what we call “shaker parm.” That’s the kind that comes in the canister.
Salt and Pepper: Add salt and black pepper to taste.
Parsley: Fresh parsley adds a pop of green to the finished pasta but it’s for garnish only and completely optional.

How to Make Butter Parmesan Noodles

This easy buttered noodles recipe is ready to serve in a total of 13 minutes! It doesn’t get easier than that!

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the noodles to al dente according to package instructions. Drain the pasta, but reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water.
Place the cooked noodles back into a pan or bowl, then add in the butter and parmesan cheese. Add splashes of pasta water if desired to loosen the noodles and add moisture to the sauce.

Salt, pepper, and butter on top of a pan of egg noodles.

Stir until the butter is fully melted, season with salt and pepper, then serve with additional parmesan and freshly chopped parsley.

Tips and Notes

Cook the noodles al dente. This means cooking them just a couple of minutes under the recommended time on the box. Slightly underdone noodles hold up better in the sauce for a better texture.
Choose your parmesan. Normally, we’d tell you to shred parmesan off the block. But, for this recipe it’s okay to use the parmesan cheese that comes in a canister or parmesan cheese shredded off the block.
Use unsalted butter. This allows you to control the saltiness of the finished dish. You can always add more!
Try other noodles. I love the egg noodles, but you can really use any other pasta you prefer. Try regular noodles like fettuccine, linguine, or a shorter pasta shape such as farfalle or rotini. You can’t go wrong with something this yummy!
Spice it up. Want to give your pasta a kick of heat? Simply add in a sprinkle of red pepper flakes!

Storage

Refrigerator: Leftover buttered egg noodles will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Reheating: To reheat leftovers, warm on the stove or in the microwave until heated through. The pasta will likely soak up some of the sauce, so feel free to moisten the leftovers with a splash of chicken or veggie broth.

Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this pasta. The cheesy sauce won’t hold up when thawed.

Are Butter Noodles Healthy?

Buttered egg noodles are noodles with butter, parmesan, and not much else. While they’re incredibly tasty, I wouldn’t necessarily classify this as one of the healthiest pasta dishes around.

That’s not to say, however, that they can’t be part of an overall healthy and hearty meal. These noodles pair beautifully with so many proteins and veggies, so feel free to round out your meal however you would like!

Grated parmesan cheese and parsley sprinkled over egg noodles.

Can You Make Butter Noodles With Whole Wheat Pasta?

Yes, whole wheat pasta works just as well as regular egg noodles in this simple dish. The cooking time may need to be adjusted, and the taste and texture may vary from the egg noodles.

Can You Use Any Type of Pasta for Butter Noodles?

Yes, you can use any type of pasta. Common types include egg noodles, angel hair pasta, and even spaghetti.

Use your favorite noodles for this easy recipe or whatever you have on hand.

How Do You Prevent the Noodles From Becoming Greasy?

This recipe uses just 4 tablespoons of butter to achieve the best flavor and consistency. Try not to add extra butter; otherwise the noodles will become greasy and unappealing.

If you’d like to add additional flavor, add a little salt, a pinch of red pepper flakes, or some extra parmesan cheese.

Butter and parmesan on top of egg noodles.

What Goes with Buttered Noodles?

Not only are these simple, buttery noodles so incredibly tasty, but they’re also so versatile!

Enjoy this simple pasta recipe as a main dish topped with cooked and shredded chicken or baked meatballs with a side of roasted asparagus or a simple caesar salad.

Alternatively, serve them as a side dish with cajun butter steak bites, creamy mushroom chicken, baked lemon garlic flounder, or your favorite burger.

Like I said…so versatile! They go with everything!

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