Recipe of the Week: Cheesy Weeknight Pasta

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Here’s a one pot recipe that comes together in about 20 minutes, perfect for those nights when you’re low on time and ingredients in the fridge. Did you know you can reserve some of the water you cook pasta in to create a delicious sauce? This recipe from Brit+Co shows you how!

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons butter, salted or unsalted
  • juice of half a lemon
  • 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • about 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water
  • freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • a few pinches chopped parsley, for serving

Directions:

  1. Bring 4 quarts (16 cups) water to a rolling boil. Add 2 tablespoons of kosher salt.
  2. Add spaghetti, and cook for roughly 8 minutes. (This is likely shorter than package instructions but will ensure that the pasta is al dente. The pasta will continue to cook in the sauce.)
  3. When pasta is about halfway done, heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Lower heat, add red pepper flakes, and stir.
  4. Once pasta cooks to al dente, transfer pasta directly from water to garlic mixture using tongs. (It’s OK if water gets into garlic mixture; this will help loosen the sauce.) Stir thoroughly to coat pasta.
  5. Add butter and lemon juice, stirring vigorously with tongs until butter is melted.
  6. Add cheese and pasta cooking water, stirring aggressively until the cheese evenly coats the pasta in a smooth, glossy sauce. Add more water if needed. Salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Divide pasta into bowls, top with parsley and more cheese, and serve.