Whether you have herbs that are bursting fresh from the market or last week’s barely-hanging-on parsley, this herb butter pasta makes the perfect meal. The beauty of this recipe is that you can choose your own adventure and make a combo that works for you, but I’ve taken out the guess work and listed my favorite herb combinations below. Make a batch of the herb butter and use as much or as little as you want and freeze the rest for later when herbs are scarce, but pasta, appetites, and friends are abundant!
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Herb Butter Pasta
What You’ll Need
- For the Herb Butter:
- 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons or 1 stick) of softened butter
- 1 cup loosely packed fresh herbs, any combo you desire
- 1 teaspoon of grated garlic or garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon of lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- For the Pasta:
- 1/4 lb of pasta
- 1 cup chopped or diced vegetable, like zucchini, asparagus, kale or spinach
- Suggested Herb Combos:
- Chive/Dill/Spring Onion
- Parsley/Mint/Basil
- Cilantro/Mint/Basil
What You’ll Do
- Wash and dry the herbs. You can easily dry them by either rolling them into a towel or using a salad spinner.
- On a cutting board, mince the herbs. In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, minced herbs, 1 teaspoon of grated garlic, 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, ½ teaspoon of chili flakes, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Mix until well combined.
- Place the herb butter onto the center of a small sheet of parchment paper. Fold one half of the parchment over top of the herb butter and tuck the flap against butter. Pull the butter toward you to form a cylinder. Now roll the butter forward and smooth it out to 1- 1.5 inch thick log.
- Use the butter immediately to make your pasta (see below), or stick the log in the refrigerator or freezer for later use.
- In a pot of well-salted boiling water, cook your pasta until al dente. While your pasta cooks, add your favorite vegetable to your skillet or pan with a tablespoon of olive oil, and saute until softened. Add a chunk of your herb butter into the pan and let it melt into the vegetables, coating them evenly. Add your al dente pasta and more herb butter and mix until well combined! Enjoy!
