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Viral Butter Cheese Pasta (My Mom’s ‘Nothing in the Fridge’ Dinner) 🍝
Growing up, my mom Antonietta had a trick for the nights there was nothing in the fridge: she would cook pasta and toss it with butter and a ridiculous amount of parmigiano while it was still steaming, and we devoured it every single time. This is that idea turned up a few notches, with chicken broth, garlic, and red pepper flakes cooking the pasta right in the pan into the silkiest sauce that coats every strand. Twenty minutes, one pan, a handful of pantry staples. It went viral for a reason, but to me it will always just be Mom’s dinner.
Equipment
- 1 Deep Pan
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 2 whole Garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 tsp Red pepper flakes optional
- 2-3 tbsp Tomato paste
- 2 cups Small pasta Ditalini or small shells
- 4 cups Chicken broth or stock
- 1/2 tbsp Chicken bouillon powder
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 1/4 cup Parsley chopped
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
- Top with more parmesan cheese
Instructions
- On medium heat, add olive oil to deep pan.
- Add garlic and pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Add tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add uncooked pasta and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add broth and chicken bouillon and bring to a boil on medium-high heat.
- Once boiling, bring heat to medium-low and allow to cook.
- Stir occasionally until broth is absorbed and pasta is cooked (11-12 minutes).
- Add butter, parsley, pepper and cheese and mix until melted.
- Top with more cheese.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see it! Tag me on Instagram @thecookingmawma and let me know what you think. This one is proof that simple doesn’t mean boring.
Tips for Making This Recipe
The pasta cooks IN the broth. This is what makes it one-pan magic. You don’t boil water separately — the pasta absorbs the chicken broth as it cooks, which means every bite is packed with flavor. Stir occasionally so it doesn’t stick, and keep the heat at medium-low once it starts simmering.
Use good parmesan. This recipe lives and dies by its cheese. Grab a block of Parmigiano-Reggiano and grate it yourself — the pre-shredded stuff has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly. And add the cheese OFF the heat so it gets creamy instead of clumpy. Leftovers reheat well with a splash of broth to re-loosen the sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use vegetable broth to make it vegetarian?
Absolutely! Vegetable broth works perfectly here. The key flavor drivers are really the butter, garlic, and parmesan, so the broth is more about cooking liquid than flavor. Just make sure whatever broth you use is well-seasoned.
What pasta shape works best?
I love using small shells or ditalini because they soak up the broth beautifully, but any short pasta works great. Elbows, penne, or even broken spaghetti. Just adjust your cooking time based on the pasta shape — check the box for guidance.
My sauce came out too thick — what do I do?
Just add a splash more broth or pasta water and stir. The sauce thickens as it sits, especially as the cheese melts in. If it’s too thin, let it simmer uncovered for another minute or two. You want it to coat the back of a spoon.
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