Simple, fast and delicious Herby Garlic Butter Pasta Sauce made with fresh herbs and tossed with your favorite long pasta. Ready by the time the pasta is cooked, this sauce is perfect for quick weeknight meals.
This herby garlic butter sauce packs a lot of flavor while taking very little time to prepare. It combines a generous amount of fresh herbs with garlic, butter and pecorino for a bright, savory finish that clings to long pasta like spaghetti, linguine or tagliatelle.
Cooking with Fresh Herbs
This sauce gets its punch from fresh chives, parsley, basil, oregano, sage, mint, thyme and lemon thyme. Use fresh herbs — they’re the star here and deliver the concentrated, aromatic flavor that dried herbs can’t match. The sauce is finished with garlic butter, which gives it a rich, comforting base.
How to Make Herby Garlic Butter Pasta Sauce – Step by Step
Place the herbs in a food processor with the zest and juice of half a lemon, olive oil, pecorino and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blitz until combined.
In a medium skillet, warm the butter with a little olive oil. Add the garlic and cook 1–2 minutes until softened but not browned.
Add the herb mixture to the pan, stir and cook for 1 minute. Pour in about 1/3 cup (80ml) of reserved pasta water and cook for another minute to bring the sauce together.
Toss in the cooked pasta until it’s evenly coated. Serve immediately with extra freshly grated pecorino.
Can I Make it Creamy?
Yes. For a creamier version, halve the butter and add about 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream. Bring to a brief boil for 30–40 seconds until it slightly thickens, then turn off the heat and toss with the pasta for a richer, velvety dish.
If you prefer a more intense garlic flavor and no herbs, omit the herbs and double the garlic for a bold garlic butter pasta.
Can I use Garlic Powder?
Fresh garlic is strongly recommended. Garlic powder tastes different and won’t deliver the same bright, fresh flavor; it can be used in a pinch, but it’s not an ideal substitute for this sauce.
Other Ways to Use this Garlic Butter Sauce
This versatile sauce isn’t limited to pasta. Ideas to adapt it:
- Seafood: Toss with shrimp, mussels, clams or calamari and serve with spaghetti, linguine or tagliatelle for a seafood pasta.
- Chicken: Serve the sauce over grilled or pan-fried chicken, or toss sliced chicken with the pasta. It also pairs well with roast potatoes or grilled vegetables.
- Potatoes: Mix into boiled, crushed potatoes with olive oil and lemon for a bright side, or use it to dress roasted potatoes.
- Gratin: Thinly sliced potatoes layered with the garlic butter and baked until tender make a flavorful gratin.
- Steak: Spoon the sauce over a chargrilled steak for an herb-forward compound butter finish.
Extra Helpful Tips
- Use well-salted boiling water for the pasta; under-seasoned pasta water reduces overall flavor.
- Cook the pasta to al dente following package instructions. For 400g (14oz) spaghetti or linguine, about 8–9 minutes usually works.
- Don’t substitute dried herbs for the fresh ones called for here—the dish depends on their freshness.
- Avoid browning the garlic; cook it just until softened (1–2 minutes) to prevent bitterness.
Recipe: Herby Garlic Butter Pasta Sauce
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 14 oz (400g) long pasta, such as spaghetti or linguine
- 2 cups (40g) fresh basil
- 2 tbsp fresh chives
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon thyme
- 2 tbsp fresh mint
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano
- 1 tbsp fresh sage
- 2 tbsp (30g) butter
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 4 tbsp pecorino, freshly grated (plus extra to serve)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Zest and juice of half a lemon
- Salt and pepper
- 1/3 cup (80ml) reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions.
- While the pasta cooks, combine all the fresh herbs in a food processor with lemon zest and juice, olive oil, 3 tbsp pecorino and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blitz until smooth.
- In a medium skillet, melt the butter with a little olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook 1–2 minutes until softened but not browned.
- Add the herb mixture to the pan and cook 1 minute. Stir in 1/3 cup reserved pasta water and cook another minute to loosen the sauce.
- Drain the pasta, add it to the skillet and toss until the noodles are fully coated. Serve immediately with more grated pecorino.
Nutrition
Calories: 575 kcal | Carbohydrates: 80 g | Protein: 19 g | Fat: 20 g | Saturated Fat: 6 g | Cholesterol: 21 mg | Sodium: 133 mg | Potassium: 690 mg | Fiber: 6 g | Sugar: 3 g | Vitamin A: 7995 IU | Vitamin C: 47.9 mg | Calcium: 348 mg | Iron: 7.3 mg
Nutrition information is an approximation.
If you try this Herby Garlic Butter Pasta Sauce, feel free to leave a comment and let me know how it turned out — I love hearing from you!