Equipment
Ingredients
Basil Butter
- 60 g fresh basil leaves, stems removed, washed
- 115 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 garlic, peeled
- ice
Pasta Assembly
- 400 g dried long pasta
- 50 g vegetarian parmesan-style cheese, finely grated
- kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 632 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbohydrates
- 76 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 303 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 17 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 70 mg
- Potassium
- 292 mg
- Calcium
- 205 mg
- Iron
- 3.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 69 mg
- Phosphorus
- 293 mg
- Zinc
- 1.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 262 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 65 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.91 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.47 mg
- Niacin
- 7.4 mg
- Folate
- 249 mcg
- Water
- 33 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil at 100 degrees Celsius or 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, fill a medium mixing bowl with cold water and ice cubes to create an ice bath.
Drop the fresh basil leaves into the boiling water and submerge them for exactly 15 seconds. Immediately scoop them out using a slotted spoon and plunge them directly into the ice bath to stop the cooking process and set their vibrant green color.
Remove the cooled basil from the ice water and squeeze it tightly in your hands or a clean kitchen towel to remove as much excess moisture as possible. Transfer the dry blanched basil to a food processor along with the softened unsalted butter, garlic cloves, and a pinch of salt. Process until the mixture is completely smooth and uniformly green.
Return the large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the dried pasta and cook stirring occasionally, until al dente according to the package directions. Just before draining, carefully scoop out and reserve about 120 milliliters of the starchy pasta cooking water.
Drain the pasta and return it immediately to the warm, empty pot off the heat. Add the prepared basil butter and a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously with tongs until the butter melts and emulsifies with the water into a creamy sauce. Gradually sprinkle in the grated cheese while continuing to toss, adding more pasta water as needed to achieve a silky consistency. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Blanching the basil before blending deactivates the enzymes that cause oxidation, ensuring your butter stays brilliantly green rather than turning unappetizingly brown when exposed to air.
- Squeezing out all excess moisture from the blanched basil is a critical step. Too much water will prevent the butter from whipping properly in the food processor.
- Always reserve more pasta water than you think you need. The starch in the water is the culinary binding agent that brings the melted butter and cheese together into a cohesive sauce.
- If you want to make this ahead of time, double the basil butter recipe, roll the excess into a log using parchment paper, and freeze it. You can slice coins off the frozen log to instantly sauce future bowls of pasta.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store leftover dressed pasta in an airtight container.
Freezer: 3 months — The compound basil butter can be frozen independently for up to 3 months. Do not freeze the fully assembled dish.
Reheating: Reheat leftovers gently on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of water to prevent the butter from breaking.
Troubleshooting
The pasta sauce looks greasy or the butter has separated from the water
Cause: The pan was too hot when assembling, or not enough starchy pasta water was used to create an emulsion
Fix: Add another tablespoon of hot pasta water and toss very vigorously until the emulsion reforms
Prevention: Always mix the butter and pasta off the heat, and rely on the vigorous tossing motion to melt the butter gently
The basil butter is watery and resists blending smoothly
Cause: Too much residual water was left on the blanched basil leaves
Fix: Scrape down the sides of the processor and continue blending; chilling the mixture slightly may also help the butter solidify
Prevention: Squeeze the blanched basil forcefully in a clean kitchen towel before adding it to the food processor
Cultural Context
Compound butters, or beurre compose, are a foundational technique in classical French cuisine traditionally used to finish roasted meats and pan sauces. By marrying this technique with Italian flavor profiles and fresh summer basil, this dish creates a vibrant, simplified alternative to traditional pesto. The final emulsification of butter, cheese, and starchy pasta water echoes the traditional 'mantecatura' method used in classic Italian cooking to create naturally creamy sauces without heavy cream.
