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5.0 from 33 votes

Spicy Brown Butter Pasta with Parmesan and Sage

A weeknight favorite: say hello to this spicy brown butter pasta! The tiny shells hold all the savory brown butter flavor, and the pasta is tossed with lots of garlic, chili flakes, crispy sage and parmesan. A dream in a bowl that tastes cozy and comforting.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 2 people, 4 as a side dish
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces medium shells pasta
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 6 garlic cloves, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 15 fresh sage leaves (or however many you want)
  • Kosher salt and pepper to taste
  • lots of parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Strain it once finished.
  2. While the pasta cooks, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Stir as it bubbles, and after 2 minutes or so you should see brown bits appear on the bottom of the pan. The minute the brown bits appear, stir in the sage. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until it gets crispy. You can remove the sage leaves and use them for topping, or just leave them in the butter and stir in with the pasta. You also still want the butter to get golden brown here, but not burn.
  3. Stir in the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook for 30 seconds. Add the pasta to the skillet and coat well. Turn off the heat.
  4. Stir in a few tablespoons of finely grated parmesan. Toss well and taste the pasta. If it needs a pinch of salt and pepper, add it. If not, don’t add it!
  5. Serve with as much cheese as you’d like. YUM.