Description
Mediterranean-inspired brown butter zaatar pasta blends nutty brown butter with aromatic zaatar spices for a quick weeknight dinner. Fragrant herbs and toasted spices elevate simple ingredients into a delightful meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (454 grams) dried long pasta (spaghetti or bucatini)
- 8 tbsps (1 stick / 113 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 packed cup fresh herb leaves (parsley, oregano, mint, thyme, or a combination)
- 1 oz (28 grams) Parmesan cheese, divided (½ cup firmly packed freshly grated or ⅓ cup store-bought grated)
- 1 tbsp za’atar, plus extra for serving
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus additional for the pasta
- ½ medium lemon
Instructions
- Pasta Preparation: Bring a generously salted large pot of water to a vigorous boil. Cook pasta just under the package’s al dente instructions, reserving a cup of starchy pasta water before draining in a colander.
- Brown Butter Transformation: In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter until it develops a golden-brown hue. Introduce za’atar, stirring continuously to create a deep, nutty essence. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and kosher salt, forming a fragrant sauce base.
- Sauce Development: Pour reserved pasta water into the skillet, simmering to reduce by half and create a silky, concentrated sauce. This process intensifies the flavor profile and creates a luxurious coating.
- Pasta Fusion: Incorporate drained pasta into the skillet, thoroughly coating each strand. Toss vigorously to ensure complete sauce absorption and perfect texture, cooking for an additional minute.
- Final Flourish: Gently fold in chopped herbs and half the Parmesan cheese. Plate the pasta, garnishing with remaining Parmesan and an extra sprinkle of za’atar to elevate both visual appeal and flavor complexity.
Notes
- Master Pasta Water Technique: Reserve a cup of starchy pasta water before draining, as it acts like a magical sauce binding agent that helps create a silky, emulsified coating for your pasta.
- Brown Butter Precision: Watch butter carefully while browning, as it can quickly transition from golden and nutty to burnt; remove from heat immediately when it reaches a deep amber color with a rich, toasted aroma.
- Za’atar Flavor Boost: Toast za’atar spice blend briefly in brown butter to unlock its deep, aromatic compounds and prevent raw, bitter undertones that can overpower the delicate sauce.
- Herb and Cheese Balance: Chop herbs finely and add cheese gradually to ensure each pasta strand gets an even distribution of fresh, vibrant flavors without clumping or overwhelming the delicate brown butter sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 510
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 65 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg