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Butter Noodles (aka Pasta with Butter)

Butter noodles is the ultimate comfort food to me. Everyone has their own definition and favorite dish when it comes to comfort food. Let me turn you onto mine.

bowl of spaghetti with butter

For as long as I can remember, I’ve absolutely ADORED butter noodles (spaghetti with butter).

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My mother didn’t let us (my brothers and me) have pasta with butter very often as it’s not the most nutritious and healthful meal for a growing child. So when she did indulge us, it was even more special. Scroll to the bottom for some advice for parents of picky eaters from me (I used to teach parenting classes as a children’s social worker.)

spaghetti with butter

When we weren’t feeling well, or weren’t up to eating “normal” food, we were given buttered noodles. It was always such an exciting feeling knowing this dish was on the horizon! I’m sure this is why it still feels like comfort food to me.

Another favorite pasta dish that children love: pasta and beans.

Authentic Italian Pasta and Beans

Butter noodles, as they’re mostly known in the US, are even on restaurant menus. Even now, as an adult, I love spaghetti with butter probably just as much as I did when I was a child. So every once in a while, I still indulge myself. Good quality pasta and good quality butter, and I’m a very happy girl, er, woman.

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Have you ever tried buttered noodles? You can add a sprinkle of real Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano, too!

bowl of spaghetti and butter
bowl of butter noodles

You’ll find a printable buttered noodles recipe below (even though you probably won’t need it) along with a few blogger friends’ favorite comfort food recipes!

Butter Noodles (aka Pasta with Butter)

makes enough for 2 servings
(please use quality ingredients, as there are only two of them, 3 with salt)

FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW

Ingredients

  • spaghetti or your favorite pasta shape
  • good quality butter
  • Kosher or sea salt

Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add a good amount of salt. Taste the water, it should taste salty, almost like sea/ocean water. Then add the noodles.

cooking pasta in a pot

Cook until al dente, not too hard, though (if you use a good quality pasta it won’t get mushy).

pasta on a fork

Use a pasta fork and remove the noodles from the water and place directly into two plates.

draining pasta

draining spaghetti

Top with butter and mix until well-coated and enjoy your hot buttered noodles! I do recommend using spaghetti.

spaghetti on a fork

Buon appetito!

spaghetti with butter on a fork

Butter Noodles (aka Pasta with Butter)

Servings: 2
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 9 minutes
Total Time: 19 minutes
The ultimate comfort food, only 2 ingredients and ready in minutes.
5 from 19 votes

Special Equipment

  • 1 pasta fork

Ingredients

  • 6 oz spaghetti
  • 1 Tbsp butter enough to coat the pasta
  • tsp sea salt to taste

Instructions

  • Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add a good amount of salt. Taste the water, it should taste salty, almost like sea/ocean water. Then add spaghetti.
  • Cook until al dente, not too hard, though (if you use a good quality pasta it won't get mushy).
  • Use a pasta fork and remove the pasta from the water and place directly into two plates. Top with butter and mix until well-coated.

Notes

  • Lots of people like to add grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese to this dish. Just be sure to use the real deal.
  • For a more Italian and vegan option, use extra virgin olive oil in place of the butter

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 366kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 195mg | Potassium: 191mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

ADVICE ON PICKY EATING FROM AN EX-CHILDREN’S SOCIAL WORKER

While my mother indulged us once in a while with butter noodles, nowadays, I see many adults indulge their children on a daily basis. They are allowed to eat whatever they want, which could be sugary cereal and hot dogs, each and every day. I just can’t imagine how these children’s little bodies will suffer, now, and in the future.  I often hear, “Tommy doesn’t like this, or Suzy won’t eat that” and they make these announcements in front of their children!

As an ex-children’s social worker, let me give you some unsolicited advice: please don’t do this. Never let your children hear you tell someone else what they won’t eat, don’t like, or can’t stand. All you are doing is reinforcing this in your children. Instead, let them overhear your positive attributes about them! “Johnny loves apples and bananas” and “I just love seeing him eat fruit!” Don’t discuss the fact that he doesn’t want to eat any other fruit, and I will make a prediction that your child’s preferences for foods will change.

I asked some foodie friends for their favorite comfort foods, so here they are along with a bit on their ethnic background and where they live.

Jill from Mad About Macarons – A Frenchie-Scot living in Paris  BUTTERNUT WALNUT GRATIN

butternut walnut gratin Mad About Macarons

Cynthia from What a Girl Eats – American w/Scottish roots
CHEESY POTATO CRUSTED CHICKEN POT PIES

what a girl eats cheesy pot pie

Cathy from She Paused for Thought – American – GRANDMA CLARK’S DANISH PUFF

Cathy's Danish puff

What’s YOUR favorite comfort food? Who shares butter noodles with me? Share below in the comments…

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4.95 from 19 votes (19 ratings without comment)

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28 Comments

  1. Fabulous! This is totally off subject, but do you know of a butter that doesn’t splatter like crazy over heat? I’ve tried butters from around the globe with no luck.

    1. Hi Mimi, not sure, to be honest! I know that cheap butter will do that in the microwave as they add water, but not sure about good butters. Maybe it’s just going to happen, no matter what type of butter used.

  2. Yup, there’s nothing quite as comforting as a simple pasta bianca. I make something very similar, only with short pasta and Parmesan and perhaps a bit of cream in, but at heart it’s the same idea. Often a midnight snack when I’m having trouble falling asleep. For some reason it puts me out right away…

  3. We are choosing to go lower carb these days, but an occasional treat is in order. One of ours is lemon spaghetti. It is simple but great! In your recipe, a good quality pasta and butter are a must.

  4. Spaghetti (or, alternatively, any kind of pastina) with butter was the go-to comfort food in my family too. We all loved it, but my dad now, my dad’s soul could probably be bought for a bowl of it. Now, if you added olive oil and grated cheese to the butter, he slipped into nirvana mode. I remember him every time I eat it.

    Simple foods, simply prepared … the best.

      1. Food that you love, friends that you love, family that you love; it’s the Italian way. And does anything else really matter in the long run? I, at least, don’t think so. So thank you for your little reminder that the smallest things can bring joy. Keep posting your wonderful recipes!

  5. I am not alone. Someone has admitted they love spaghetti and butter too. I have also added fresh basil and lots of Parmesan cheese and have been in heaven……