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Why we love this recipe
This is one of those simple simple simple recipes that I make when I don’t want to give more than two seconds thought to dinner.
I always have the ingredients, it is ready in two shakes, it couldn’t be easier to make, and most importantly, it tastes like HEAVEN.
The heaven part is due to the miracle of brown butter, which is butter that has been lovingly melted on the stove until it turns, yes, brown.
Brown butter has a nutty taste that is indescribably delicious, so I won’t even try…but it did give me the idea of adding some nuts to this pasta dish.
And just when I thought pasta heaven couldn’t get any more heavenly…it did.
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Pasta: We like a long pasta like linguine for this recipe, but it will work with whatever you have on hand.
- Butter: Use the best kind you can get! This Irish girl loves Kerrygold Salted Butter.
- Walnuts: You can use either halves or chopped walnuts. Or if you like pecans or almonds or macadamia nuts better, swap them in.
- Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated if you can!
- Black Pepper: Also freshly grated if you can!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
How to make this recipe
STEP 1: Cook your pasta in heavily salted water according to the package directions. Scoop out 1/2 cup of the magical pasta water before you drain it and set it aside.
STEP 2: While the pasta is cooking, melt four tablespoons butter in a deep skillet over medium heat. Stir it until it turns brown. As soon as that happens, take it off the heat.
STEP 3: Add the drained pasta, some grated Parmesan cheese and some walnuts to the skillet with the butter. Toss everything with tongs until well combined, drizzling in just enough pasta water to make a light sauce.
PRO TIP: You can add baby spinach and/or cooked shredded chicken to this dish to make it a full one dish supper. Add the baby spinach to the pasta right before you drain it and give it a stir until it’s wilted. Cooked chicken can get stirred in right at the end.
Recipe FAQs
When pasta cooks, it releases starch into the water (that is what makes it a little cloudy. And since hopefully you have thoroughly salted your water, at the end of the pasta cooking time you have a starchy, salty water that is ABSOLUTELY PERFECT for making or loosening up a light pasta sauce. It’s truly magical.
You can use either walnut halves or chopped walnuts. You can usually find both in the baking aisle near the chocolate chips, or if your store has a bulk foods section, you can get just the amount you need from there.
You can! I have tossed in both cooked shredded chicken and cooked shrimp when I add the cheese and the walnuts. And if you want to add some veggies, add a 6 ounce bag (or more!) of baby spinach to the pasta pot a minute or two before the pasta is done.
Pop your question in the comments and I will answer pronto!
I highly recommend serving it on warmed plates, because it keeps the pasta nice and hot throughout your meal, and because warmed plates always feel like the height of coziness to me.
Want to round out your meal?
We love to add some veggies on the side of this pasta. Sometimes some creamy whipped carrots, or some roasted green beans.
And a cinnamon sugar snack cake is the perfect end to this easy supper.
Other easy pasta recipes we love
Looking for more pasta inspiration? Here’s our complete collection of pasta (and pizza!) recipes.
Go make yourself and someone you love some pasta with walnut sauce now. Heaven!
Brown Butter Walnut Pasta
Butter, nuts and parmesan cheese team up to make a fast and easy pasta sauce in this simple recipe for brown butter walnut pasta!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 8 ounces linguine or spaghetti
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup walnut halves
- 1/2 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta in heavily salted water according to package directions. Scoop out 1/2 cup pasta water before you drain it and set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a deep skillet over medium heat. Stir it until it turns brown. As soon as that happens, take it off the heat.
- Add the drained pasta, the cheese and the walnuts to the skillet with the butter. Toss everything with tongs until well combined, drizzling in just enough pasta water to make a light sauce.
- Serve on warmed plates with a generous grinding of black pepper.
Notes
Pasta: We love a nice long pasta like linguine or spaghetti, but this recipe will work with whatever pasta you have on hand.
Butter: Salted butter works best for this recipe.
Parmesan Cheese: Fresh grated parmesan cheese is the best, but you can also use fresh pre-grated parmesan cheese.
Sally says
This is so simple yet makes such a unique sauce. So tasty!
It’s amazing what anchovies can do, right? :)
ANTHONY CAPO says
mmm
I’m thinking that is the sound of walnut pasta enjoyment! :)