Get my Cookbooks! Garlic Butter Pasta (One Pot!)
This one pot Garlic Butter Pasta recipe has the best herb-infused sauce with fresh garlic and a hint of Parmesan and lemon juice. It’s a great meatless meal or side dish recipe!
Garlic Butter Pasta
This Garlic Butter Pasta is as good as it gets! It’s a 30-minute meal that also makes a delicious side dish, and it’s all made in ONE pot!
The buttery garlic herb sauce is so flavorful and a ton of pasta options work well here. (I went for Shellbow pasta because it’s a cross between shells and elbow pasta. How fun is that?!)
It’s finished off with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh lemon juice which really makes the flavors pop! I can’t wait for you to try this, scroll down for my PRO tips!
How to Make It
Note: This is an overview. See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Heat the butter, garlic, and seasonings in a soup pot. Stir continuously until the butter starts to foam. Add the chicken broth, half and half, soy sauce, and chicken bouillon cube.
Bring to a boil and add the pasta. Bring back to a gentle boil and cook the pasta to al dente. Reduce heat to low and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice. Add 1 more tbsp. butter and let it melt. Stir it into the pasta and serve.
Pro Tips
- Pasta: I use DeLallo Shellbow Pasta for this (a cross between shells and elbows 😁), but a variety of options work well, including Cavatappi, Medium Shells, Orecchiette, Farfalle, and Rotini.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves for this recipe (not jarred minced garlic), the taste is so much better.
- Parmesan: Grate the cheese from a wedge, it will melt and taste much better than packaged grated cheese. I use Belgioioso parmesan.
- Lemon Juice: If possible, use freshly squeezed lemon juice as the flavor is far superior than bottled lemon juice.
- Flavor Enhancers: The mustard powder and soy sauce are flavor enhancers that you can’t taste outright.
- Adding Chicken: For a similar recipe with some protein, try my Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta.
- Serve this Garlic Butter Pasta with my Garlic Bread With Cheese or with my No Knead Bread and Olive Oil Bread Dip!
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. This doesn’t reheat exactly back to its original consistency but the flavor is great.
- Reheating this pasta in a makeshift double boiler on the stove top is the best way to restore it to its original form.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links*)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- Spice Rack–This is the one I have, it’s a snap to measure out your seasonings quickly and easily. (Big time saver.)
- Box Cheese Grater– Always grate cheese from a block, it melts and tastes much better. Packaged grated cheese contains cellulose which prevents it from melting as well.
- Garlic Peeler & Garlic Twister– Makes it really easy to peel fresh garlic.
- Lemon Squeezer– Use fresh lemon juice over bottled if possible.
- Better Than Bouillon– This is what I always use for broth/bouillon in my recipes. It takes very little space and makes it easy to measure out customized amounts.
- Measuring Spoons– I have these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized in my utensil drawer.
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Try These Next
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- Manicotti
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- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
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- Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
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- Chicken and Broccoli Pasta
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- Baked Ravioli
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- Chicken Meatball Soup
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Tried This Recipe?
Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Garlic Butter Pasta (One Pot!)
Ingredients
Seasonings
- ¾ teaspoon EACH: dried basil, oregano, parsley, mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon EACH: dried thyme, onion powder, pepper
Sauce/Pasta
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 2 ¾ cups chicken broth
- ¾ cup half and half
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- ½ chicken bouillon cube
- ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ lb. Shellbow pasta, see notes
Instructions
- Combine the seasonings and set aside. Measure out remaining ingredients before beginning. This recipe goes quick, so you want to be ready.
- Add 3 tbsps. of the butter to a soup pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and seasonings. Stir continuously until the butter starts to foam.
- Add the chicken broth, half and half, soy sauce, and bouillon cube.
- Bring to a boil and add the pasta. Bring back to a gentle boil and cook uncovered according to package instructions. Run a silicone spatula along the bottom of the pot throughout cooking to lift any pasta that may be settling to the bottom. Taste-test the pasta for doneness before proceeding.
- Reduce heat to low and gradually stir in the Parmesan cheese. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and cover the pot to let it melt. Gently stir it into the pasta and serve!
Notes
- Pasta: I use DeLallo Shellbow Pasta for this (a cross between shells and elbows 😁), but a variety of options work well, including Cavatappi, Medium Shells, Orecchiette, Farfalle, Rotini.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves for this recipe (not jarred minced garlic), the taste is so much better.
- Parmesan: Grate the cheese from a wedge, it will melt and taste much better than packaged grated cheese. I use Belgioioso parmesan.
- Lemon Juice: If possible, use freshly squeezed lemon juice as the flavor is far superior than bottled lemon juice.
- Flavor Enhancers: The mustard powder and soy sauce are flavor enhancers that you can't taste outright.
- Adding Chicken: For a similar recipe with some protein, try my Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta.
- Serve this Garlic Butter Pasta with my Garlic Bread With Cheese or with my No Knead Bread and Olive Oil Bread Dip!
Storage:
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. This doesn't reheat exactly back to its original consistency but the flavor is great.
- Reheating this pasta in a makeshift double boiler on the stove top is the best way to restore it to its original form.
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 6 servings in this recipe.
My daughter does t eat meat so this was a great meal to serve for our weekly dinner. I paired it with steamed asparagus, delicious. It was a hit!
Awesome!!! I’m so glad that it was a hit, asparagus is a perfect side choice! (I may have to make this myself today, I’m obsessed!) Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review Deb!
I loved this, but the best comment came from a text my son sent, after I sent some ofbtge pasta home with him. He said, “Mom, this pasta was Yummy! Please nake it again soon!”
Enough said!
That makes me so happy Anita!!! I love that your son said that, thanks so much for sharing!!!❤️
This was amazing!!! And so easy to make. The most involved part was probably just measuring the ingredients but even that was quick. The sauce was creamy and full of flavor, and we loved the fun pasta shape (will definitely use it again – it held the sauce so well!). We paired it with steak and Caesar salad but also said it would be great with something like chicken sausage added to it. Thank you for another incredible recipe!
Sounds like a great meal Stephanie, nice work!! Like you said, there’s so many options when it comes to adding a protein and sides! Thanks so much for the great review!💖
AMAZING recipe – The flavors are incredible! As a busy working mom, this couldn’t be easier to make and it comes together so fast! Our boys asked me to already make it again, while they were eating it. Your recipes are awesome – thank you!
I am soooo happy that it was a hit! A request to make it again while it’s still being eaten is a big compliment!!! Wooo! Thank you so much!!
Looks good. How do you use half a chicken bouillon cube?
Hi Mary! You can cut/ break a bouillon cube in half or you can use 1/2 tsp Better Than Bouillon.
My picky toddler devoured this. Love that it’s one pot. Very good. Had it along with homemade chicken nuggets and carrots 🥕
EXCELLENT!! That’s a WIN with a picky toddler, and I love what you served with it! 🙂 Thank you for another wonderful review, I appreciate it soooooo much Alissa!! 🙂
Thanks again for a great flavor bomb, easy to execute recipe! We loved it! We had some grilled chicken, broccoli & sundried tomatoes so threw them in too! Appreciate you!
Hiiii Linda! WOW I LOVE your additions to this! I can taste it from here! I’m so glad that you loved it- thank you so so much for another great review Linda! You are the BEST and I appreciate YOU! ❤️❤️❤️
Made this with your port tenderloin recipe. It goes together very well! I like that it is a light but very tasty sauce. Thank you for a great recipe! Great flavor profile!
Hey Lori!! I’m SO glad that you paired the Pork Tenderloin with this recipe! What a perfect pairing. I am so glad that you wasted no time trying this one 🙂 THANK YOU so much!!