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The 10 Best Butter Sauces for Pasta

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Published: | By

Few ingredients transform pasta quite like butter. With just pasta water and a handful of additions, it becomes glossy, silky and completely delicious. From nutty brown butter and bright lemon butter to bold miso, anchovy and nduja variations, these recipes prove just how versatile butter can be. Whether you need something quick for a weeknight or rich enough to impress, these are the butter sauces you’ll make on repeat.

Hi! With a name like The Burnt Butter Table, you know I take butter seriously. It’s the backbone of some of the most luxurious pasta sauces you can make. Because I love making pasta from scratch, I often lean into a butter sauce as it's so quick and easy. The perfect end to hours rolling dough or shaping ravioli.

Controversially for some, I make my cacio e pepe with a butter base, which is why it is included here. I find it adds richness and makes it an easier process. I have made this list a mix of simple and more complex flavors and I hope you enjoy it!

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1

Brown Butter with Crispy Sage

A classic butter sauce with a rich, nutty flavor that works with almost any pasta shape. Especially elegant spooned over ravioli.
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2

Lemon Butter

Bright and silky, this lemon butter sauce is finished with garlic and parmesan for extra depth of flavor. The lemon keeps it fresh and balanced while the butter creates a glossy, delicious sauce.
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3

Garlic Butter Sauce with Parmesan

With just butter, fresh garlic, parmesan and pasta water, it creates a silky, glossy sauce that comes together in 15 minutes.
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4
Linguine in a butter parmesan sauce in a white bowl with a fork resting in. Crisp sage leaves on top.

Butter Parmesan Pasta

Brown butter and parmesan come together with pasta water to create a silky, emulsified sauce. It’s simple, glossy and incredibly satisfying.
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5
White plate with spaghetti in a cacio e pepe sauce. Fresh cracked black pepper on top and a fork resting into noodles.

Cacio e pepe

This butter based version of the Roman classic is rich, peppery and full of flavor. Parmesan, pecorino and black pepper melt into a smooth, glossy sauce. My method is so easy and foolproof!
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6

White wine and butter pasta

White wine adds brightness and balance to a butter sauce. It’s light, elegant and perfect when you want something simple but impressive. A reader favorite!
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7

Authentic Alfredo

An absolute classic, this is the traditional way to make Alfredo with just butter, parmesan and pasta water. There is no cream involved, just a smooth, glossy and luxurious sauce.
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8
White plate with anchovy pasta wrapped around a fork. Chopped parsley on top.

Anchovy Butter Pasta

Anchovies melt into the butter to create a deep, savory flavor that isn’t fishy at all. It’s a simple sauce with incredible depth.
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9

Miso Butter Pasta

Miso adds a salty, umami punch to a butter sauce and is so perfect for pasta. It's so savory and surprisingly addictive. If you have never tried miso with pasta, you're in for such a treat!
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10

Nduja Butter Pasta

Nduja, an Italian sausage paste, melts into butter to create a rich, spicy sauce with incredible depth. It’s bold, warming and perfect when you want something with a bit of heat.
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Tips for the perfect butter sauce

  • Use good quality butter. Butter is the main flavor in these sauces, so quality makes a difference. Use a good salted or unsalted butter that you enjoy the taste of.
  • Undercook your dried pasta slightly. I tend to undercook pasta so it can finish cooking in the sauce. My guide to cooking pasta has so many other tips and tricks.
  • Always save your pasta water. Pasta water is the key to creating a smooth, glossy sauce. The starch helps emulsify the butter and bring everything together.
  • Keep the heat gentle. Butter sauces should never be aggressively boiling. Keep the heat low to avoid the sauce separating.

Hi, I'm Emilie

I've spent years testing pasta doughs, sauces, and weeknight favorites so you don't have to. Everything on The Burnt Butter Table is designed to be simple, comforting, and unbelievably delicious.

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