Garlic-Butter Pasta

This comfort food pasts is super simple and is filled with buttery-garlic, Italian herb flavors.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Servings: servings

Author: Kathy Patalsky

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoon vegan butter (Earth Balance)
6-10 cloves garlic, minced or thinly sliced
3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1-2 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning, salt-free blend
⅛ teaspoon sea salt - or to taste
freshly ground black pepper OR red pepper flakes, to taste
Garnish options: fresh basil, diced tomatoes, vegan Parmesan cheese, olives, pea shoots, chopped parsley

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta. cook until tender.
While the pasta is cooking, warm a medium sauce pot over high heat. Add the olive oil and garlic. Turn heat to low after a strong sizzle toasts the garlic. Once the garlic is nicely toasted, stir in the vegan butter. allow it to fully melt as you stir. Next, stir in the herbs, salt and nutritional yeast - keep stirring for 3-4 minutes, keeping the sauce on the lowest setting. Turn the heat off and allow the sauce to sit. The trick here: You want to be very careful as to not burn the garlic - garlic burns quite quickly. You really just want to toast it and then soften it and thicken the sauce a bit into a cheesy, buttery mixture. The aroma will smell like cheesy garlic bread!
Drain the pasta and pour the sauce over top. Using a wooden spoon, fold the sauce into the hot noodles for 1-2 minutes to fully saturate and marinate the pasta. Add salt to taste or about ⅛ teaspoon to really make the flavors pop.
Serve with optional garnishes such as fresh herbs, red pepper flakes, vegan Parm shreds or sprinkle or DIY version, olives, chopped greens and more. Or just keep or super simple and lovely as is.