Description
Cowboy Butter Spaghetti is a creamy, herb-infused pasta dish perfect for weeknight comfort with a rich, buttery sauce spiced up by mustard, paprika, and a hint of heat from cayenne and chili flakes. Ready in just 40 minutes, it combines fresh herbs, cream, and a flavorful butter base for a deliciously indulgent meal.
Ingredients
Cowboy Butter Mixture
- 0.5 cup salted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons brown or grainy mustard
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 4 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1 pinch red chili flakes, or to taste
Pasta
- 1 pound spaghetti
Sauce
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 0.13 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
Garnish
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Butter Mixture: In a bowl, combine the softened butter, brown or grainy mustard, chopped parsley, fresh thyme, lemon juice, smoked paprika, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and red chili flakes. Mix thoroughly until well blended. For best flavor, set aside or refrigerate the mixture for 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook for approximately 12 minutes until al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta completely.
- Make Sauce: In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the prepared cowboy butter mixture slowly. Once melted, add the heavy cream, additional lemon juice, garlic salt, and red pepper flakes. Stir and heat the sauce gently until it is steaming and thoroughly combined, about 5 minutes, being careful not to boil.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the drained spaghetti to the saucepan with the sauce. Toss well to coat all the pasta evenly. Add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and reach your desired consistency.
- Season and Garnish: Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt if necessary. Garnish the finished dish generously with chopped parsley before serving to add a fresh, vibrant touch.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes based on your preferred spice level.
- If fresh thyme is unavailable, substitute with 1 teaspoon dried thyme.
- For a deeper, richer flavor, prepare the butter mixture the night before and refrigerate to let the flavors develop overnight.
- Reserved pasta water helps to achieve a silky sauce texture, so don’t skip saving some before draining.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
