Cowboy Butter Spaghetti

Spaghetti tossed in a glossy cowboy butter sauce with garlic, fresh herbs, lemon, Dijon mustard, chili flakes, and Parmesan. This bold, buttery pasta comes together in about 20 minutes for an easy comfort-food dinner.

Prep: 8 min · Cook: 12 min · Yield: 4 · Method: Stovetop

Ingredients

• 12 ounces spaghetti
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 cloves garlic
• 0.25 cup fresh parsley
• 1 medium lemon
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 0.5 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 0.75 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper

Cooking instructions

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until al dente according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain. (about 10 min)
2. While the pasta cooks, finely chop the garlic and parsley. Zest the lemon, then cut it in half and squeeze 2 tablespoons of juice. (about 3 min)
3. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute; do not let it brown. (about 2 min) — Medium-low
4. Whisk in the Dijon mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and half of the parsley. Cook for 30 seconds. (about 1 min) — Medium-low
5. Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet and toss to coat. Add the Parmesan and enough reserved pasta water, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the sauce is glossy and clings to the noodles. (about 2 min) — Low
6. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, lemon juice, or red pepper flakes. Finish with the remaining parsley and serve immediately with extra Parmesan. (about 1 min)