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Smoky Brown-Butter Pasta

4.5

(2)

A white plate of winding spaghetti topped with chopped cilantro and nuts all against a white lace table setting.
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Christina Allen

Smoky brown-butter pasta is a pantry-friendly, grown-up version of beloved buttered noodles. Brown butter, smoked paprika, and garlic create a sauce that makes a big impact with no extra ingredients. Its success is twofold: First, make sure to really brown your butter. You’ll know it’s ready when the sizzling has subsided and it smells deeply of toasted nuts. The second is to add your smoked paprika to the brown butter as soon as it’s done. Blooming the spices in fat helps to release and heighten their flavor.

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