Easy Parmesan Pasta with Butter and Pepper

5 from 7 votes

The Ultimate Parmesan Pasta! Strong, salty and buttery cheese with perfectly cooked al dente ribbons of pasta. Ready in 15 mins!

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: people

Calories: 484kcal

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and boil according to packet instructions until al dente. Meanwhile, grate the parmesan with a fork to resemble large crumbs (it doesn't matter if there are some larger crumbs)
Add the butter and olive oil to a large bowl. Once the pasta is cooked transfer it from the boiling water with a spaghetti spoon to the bowl draining off any excess water.
Toss the pasta in the butter and olive oil until it's completely coated and the butter has melted. Leave the pasta to cool for 30 seconds to 1 minute then add the parmesan. Toss the pasta until evenly coated add a pinch of black pepper and serve.

I like to remove the pasta with a spaghetti spoon instead of draining it so there's a little pasta water to help emulsify the sauce and add extra flavour.
If possible grate the parmesan like I've shown in the step by step photos with a fork so it resembles coarse crumbs. I've found this recipe is 10x better when I do this just like they served it in Italy. Some of the cheese melts and some stays in little chunks giving you the ultimate cheesy hit!
Black pepper is a must, the peppery kick cuts through the rich cheese.
I recommend using a long pasta shape if you can't find Mafalde I'd use tagliatelle or spaghetti.