Our quick Parmesan Butter Noodles recipe is easy, cheesy comfort food perfection. Buttery angel hair noodles slicked in Parmesan cheese and showered with salt and freshly cracked pepper will be asked for by everyone in the house. Make this one immediately!
Easy Parmesan Butter Noodles Recipe
A recipe that calls for minimal prep time and is the ultimate kid favorite? Yes, please! This is the only buttered noodle recipe you need, and you’ll want to keep it handy. On those nights when it’s pouring rain, or you’ve had the longest day in existence, the only thing that will do for dinner is pure comfort food. And this is one of the absolute best.
When hot noodles are twirled with melted butter and a good amount of salty Parmesan they become something more than just pasta, despite the total simplicity of the ingredients list. We know you’ll come back to this recipe again and again, it’s just that good. You can pair the noodles with some of the suggestions lower down in this post. But we won’t tell anyone if you just pour yourself a huge bowl of pasta and dig in. With extra cheese, of course.
Why You’ll Love These Parmesan Noodles
There’s so much to love about this recipe! Here are our top reasons why:
- Fast. Did we mention fast? Yes, this is super quick recipe to prep and make. The most time involved is the time needed to cook the pasta. And angel hair is a thinner pasta so it takes even less time to cook.
- Fan favorite. We haven’t met anyone yet who has turned down a plate of buttery, cheesy noodles. Let us know if you do, though (we bet you won’t!).
- Simple ingredients, big results. Some recipes take the simplest ingredients and turn them into something almost magical. This is one of those kinds of recipes. Even if the ingredients list looks basic the finished dish is anything but.
What You’ll Need
Just a few familiar ingredients combine into something truly special. Here’s everything you need to make these noodles. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts.
- Pasta: We like angel hair pasta in this recipe.
- Butter: You could use salted or unsalted butter.
- Olive Oil: I like extra-virgin olive oil.
- Parmesan Cheese: We use grated cheese.
- Salt and Fresh Pepper
- Fresh Parsley: This is optional, but we recommend including it!
How to Make Parmesan Butter Noodles
Here’s our easy method for making these noodles. We dare you to stop at one bowl.
- Cook the pasta. Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water according to the package directions, until al dente. Drain cooked pasta, making sure not to rinse it.
- Add the pasta, butter, and olive oil. Add the pasta back into the same pot. Then add the butter and olive oil, and stir until the butter has melted.
- Combine the cheese. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper to taste, over the pasta. Toss till well combined. Serve immediately with a little extra parmesan and optional fresh parsley on top.
Tips for Success
This is absolutely not a complicated recipe but we do have a few tips to help it turn out perfectly every time:
- Add olive oil to the cooking water. I add olive oil because we don’t rinse the pasta after draining the water. The olive oil helps keep the noodles from sticking together.
- Save some of the pasta water. If you want to moisten the pasta if it seems too dry, it’s helpful to reserve a cup of pasta water when you drain it (just be careful because the water will be very hot!). I personally like to add more butter and olive oil if the pasta seems dry. After all, can you ever have too much butter?
- Use whatever pasta you have. You can use whatever pasta you have on hand in this recipe, although our favorite is always a thinner noodle. We like angel hair the best, but thin spaghetti will also work well. We also like to make this recipe with fine egg noodles.
Serving Suggestions
Kids love to eat these noodles just as-is, but adults may need a little more. Here is what we like to serve them with:
- Chicken. Chicken is a natural pairing with cheesy noodles. Try my Lemon Pepper Chicken, Pesto Chicken, or Easy Chicken Parmesan recipes.
- A bowl of shrimp. Crunchy, flavorful shrimp would be so good here! My Garlic Butter Shrimp or my Best Grilled Shrimp recipes both go great with buttery noodles!
- Add a salad. If you prefer a lighter meal but still want some veggies, try a big salad. Load up fresh baby greens with crunchy vegetables like cucumber, raw broccoli, and cherry tomatoes. Dress it simply with a balsamic vinaigrette like my Maple Balsamic Dressing. Or try my Cucumber Tomato Salad recipe.
- Extra green vegetables. A simple vegetable like Air Fryer Green Beans would be perfect with these noodles. Or try my Bacon Wrapped Asparagus recipe for a bit of meaty, salty goodness in addition to the asparagus.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
These noodles are best served fresh off the stove. But if you have leftovers, here’s what to do with them:
- Fridge – Store leftover noodles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer – We don’t recommend freezing leftovers because the pasta will get mushy when defrosted.
- To Reheat – The pasta is easily reheated on the stovetop. To reheat, place the noodles in a skillet with a little extra butter and heat over low heat until the butter melts and the pasta is warmed through.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
- Shrimp Alfredo
- One Pot Pasta
- Shrimp Scampi
- Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Cajun Shrimp Pasta
- Easy Taco Pasta
Parmesan Butter Noodles
Ingredients
- 16 oz angel hair pasta
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, optional
Instructions
- Cook pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water according to the package directions, until al dente. Drain cooked pasta, but do NOT rinse.
- Add pasta back into the same pot. Add the butter and olive oil, and stir until the butter has melted.
- Sprinkle the parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper to taste, over the pasta. Toss till well combined.
- Serve immediately with a little extra parmesan and optional fresh parsley on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- Storage: These noodles are best served fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet with a little extra butter for best results.
- Minimum prep and cook time is FAST! Love this one pot side dish that is always a kid favorite.
- I add olive oil because we do not rinse the pasta, the olive oil helps keep the noodles from sticking together.
- You can also save a cup of the hot pasta water to help moisten the pasta if it gets to dry. I personally would just add more butter and olive oil 😊 Can you ever have enough butter?
- You can use whatever pasta you have on hand with this recipe, however our favorite is always a thinner noodle. We like angel hair the best, but thin spaghetti will also work well. We also like to do this with fine egg noodles.
