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5 from 3 votes

Pasta with Butter and Sage (10 Minutes!)

This Pasta with Butter and Sage is an elegant and comforting Italian classic. Made with golden butter, fresh sage leaves, and Parmigiano Reggiano, it’s the easiest weeknight dinner that tastes like something from a trattoria in Tuscany.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: dinner, lunch
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: butter sauce, vegetarian
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 201kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 lb of pasta rigatoni, penne or even gnocchi work great
  • 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 15 fresh sage leaves plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

Boil the pasta

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of pasta water before draining.

Cook in salted water

  1. Add the pasta to the boiling, well-salted water so it seasons evenly from the start. Reserve ½ cup of the starchy pasta water.

Melt the butter

  1. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and let it warm until it starts to sizzle.

Fry the sage

  1. Add the fresh sage leaves and fry them gently for 2–3 minutes until crisp and fragrant.

Brown the butter

  1. Let the butter cook as you swirl the pan so it browns evenly. You’ll hear bubbling and see big bubbles; lower the heat if it moves too fast.

Watch the foam form

  1. As the bubbling fades, a soft foam rises. Keep the pan moving and check the color underneath. This stage takes about 5 minutes.

Look for golden specks

  1. Watch the tiny milk solids on the bottom turn warm golden brown. They darken quickly, so timing matters.

Pull it off the heat

  1. Once the specks are brown, remove the pan. Spoon the browned butter over the pasta and add a little foam for extra flavor. Fresh, al dente pasta makes the sauce shine.

Make it silky

  1. Add a splash of pasta water to bring the sauce together.

Serve immediately

  1. Plate right away and finish with freshly cracked black pepper. ENJOY!

Nutrition Disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

Notes

  • Use a light-colored stainless steel pan. You see the milk solids change color clearly, the heat stays steady, and you control the browning better. Dark pans make it hard to judge the color, and copper heats so fast that it can push the butter past golden before you catch it. I did use copper and I kept an eye on it. 
  • Use unsalted butter so you can control the seasoning as the sauce cooks.
  • Keep the pan moving; swirling helps the butter brown evenly without burning.
  • The butter shifts from a soft lemony yellow to a warm golden tan, and finally to that perfect toasty brown that looks just like toasted hazelnuts. 
  • It takes about 8 minutes, and the aroma tells you you’re close. The butter continues to cook off the heat, so pull it the moment the specks turn golden.
  • Fresh sage gives the best aroma and crisps slightly in the hot butter.
  • Rigatoni works well, but gnocchi, ravioli, and tagliatelle are also great with this sauce.
  • Serve the pasta immediately—brown butter tastes best while warm and fragrant.

Nutrition

Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.04g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 294mg | Potassium: 7mg | Fiber: 0.01g | Sugar: 0.02g | Vitamin A: 700IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.03mg
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