Buttered noodles are one of those simple side dishes that always bring me comfort. Tender extra-wide egg noodles are tossed in a butter and garlic, then finished with grated Parmesan and fresh parsley.
They take under 20 minutes to make and can easily be prepared ahead of time. Serve them alongside chicken, beef, or your favorite hearty stew for an easy side dish.
Quick Look at the Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 mins, Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Method: Stovetop
- Main Ingredients: Extra wide egg noodles, butter, garlic
- Flavor Profile: Fragrant, buttery, garlicky
- Ideal for: Easy sides, comfort food
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Ingredient Notes
- Egg noodles: I always look for extra wide egg noodles because I think they provide much better texture and make dishes really hearty.
- Unsalted butter: Gives the egg noodles that rich, buttery flavor. If you use salted butter, just reduce the amount of seasoning.
- Garlic: I always use fresh minced garlic, but jarred minced garlic can work well in this recipe as well.
- Italian parsley: Add a touch of herby freshness, plus a pop of color.
- Grated parmesan cheese: Adds extra depth and flavor. Fresh or pre-grated is fine here.
- Salt and pepper to taste, plus any other seasoning you’d like to add
You can find the ingredient quantities in the recipe card down below.
Substitutions and Variations
- Pasta: Feel free to use similar short pastas instead, such as bowtie, farfalle, or rotini.
- If you don’t have fresh parsley, you can omit it or use dried parsley instead.
- Extra spices: Red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder.
How To Make Buttered Noodles
- Cook the noodles. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the egg noodles according to the package directions until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain but don’t rinse it with water.
- Make the garlic butter. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Bring everything together. Stir in the cooked noodles and toss to combine. Sprinkle in the grated Parmesan and parsley, and give it a quick mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve. Garnish with more parmesan and parsley on top. And that’s it! The best and easiest buttered egg noodles recipe!
Tips for Success
- Salt the pasta water. Cook the noodles in generously salted water. Since these buttered noodles are such a simple dish, every layer that you can season counts.
- Don’t overcook. It’s really a matter of preference, but I think about 8-10 minutes is the sweet spot as they tend to continue “cooking” with residual heat. You don’t want them to be mushy.
- Don’t rinse. After you drain the cooked egg noodles, don’t rinse them with cold water. The starch will create a better surface for the butter to cling onto.
Make Ahead and Reheating
- Make ahead: Make the entire dish 1 to 2 days ahead and store in the refrigerator in a sealed container.
- Reheating: Melt butter in skillet and add the noodles, tossing until warm and buttery again.
Finish with extra freshly grated parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. - Freezing: Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat over the stovetop with extra butter.
What To Serve with Egg Noodles
Comfort Food Pairings: Dutch Oven Roast Chicken, Oven Beef Stew, Meatball Stroganoff, or my Crock Pot Pot Roast.
Chuck Roast: I LOVE cooking chuck roast and this is a great side for it! Try my Honey Balsamic Chuck Roast or my make this chuck roast in the oven recipe.
Fall Classics: Serve these buttered noodles with my Apple Cider Pork on the weekend, or with these Pork Chops with Apples for an easy weeknight dinner.
Weeknight Dinners: Creamy Lemon Chicken and Garlic Parmesan Chicken are great options!
Recipe FAQs
Can I use jarred minced garlic?
Yes, that’s totally fine!
How do I ensure the noodles don’t turn out mushy?
Cook them until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. You can always test one, it should be tender with just a little bite in the center. The noodles will finish cooking in the residual heat.
More Easy Side Dishes
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Buttered Egg Noodles
This quick and easy buttered egg noodles side dish takes under 20 minutes to make. It's a very versatile side dish that everyone will love. Buttery, garlicky, and savory!
Servings 4 people
Calories 387kcal
Ingredients
- 10 ounces extra-wide egg noodles
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter - plus more to taste
- 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped Italian parsley - plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese - plus more as needed
- Salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Cook egg noodles according to package directions in a pot of generously salted boiling water. Egg noodles usually take 8 to 10 minutes, or a little longer if you like egg noodles softer. Drain well.
- Sauté garlic and butter: In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and slightly golden brown.
- Bring together: To the garlic butter mixture, add the cooked noodles, parmesan cheese, and parsley. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish and serve: Garnish with more parmesan cheese and parsley on top. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- Salt the pasta water. Since this is a simple recipe, the more layers of flavor, the better.
- Aim for al dente: Cook noodles for 8-10 minutes so they remain tender with a slight bite, preventing them from turning mushy as they hold residual heat.
- Adjust for salted butter: If substituting unsalted butter with salted butter, reduce any added salt seasoning.
- Make ahead: Make the buttered noodles 1 to 2 days in advance and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Warm noodles in a skillet with more butter until warm and glossy, then top with fresh Parmesan and parsley.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Pasta shapes: Swap extra-wide egg noodles for short cut pastas like bowtie (farfalle) or rotini.
- Herbs: Omit fresh Italian parsley or use dried parsley instead.
- Garlic: Use fresh minced garlic or convenient jarred minced garlic.
- Extra spices: Red pepper flakes, garlic powder, or onion powder.
Nutrition
Calories: 387kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 643mg | Potassium: 201mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 584IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2mg
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Mike says
Perfect. This time of year it really nails it. Thanks so much!
Tania says
Thank you for your kind words, Mike!
Arlene says
Perfect I used egg noodles. I boiled them for 15 minutes. Hubby said they were under cooked. Lol
Marcia says
I was looking for a simple garlic noodle recipe and this was perfect and delicious!! My daughter even had seconds which she never does! Thank you!