The 5-Ingredient Spaghetti Dish That's Too Easy Not To Make For Dinner

Be honest: Buttered noodles are still one of your favorite dishes. We tend to poke fun at buttered noodles for their simplicity and relegate them to kids'-table territory, but the truth is that simplicity can be a great thing when done well and with quality ingredients. There's also nothing more comforting than rich, buttery, toothsome pasta. All you have to do to make this meal something both the kids and grown-ups will love is dress it up a bit with some complexity. Luckily, that doesn't mean spending too much more time on cooking, thanks to the recipe chef Kristen Carli shared with Tasting Table for creamy garlic butter noodles. Just five ingredients are all it takes to make something as cozy and irresistible as your favorite childhood dish, and as gorgeous and tasty as something you'd eat in an Italian ristorante.

The entire dish takes just about 20 minutes to whip up, and there's a good chance you already have all the ingredients in your kitchen: spaghetti, unsalted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, and parsley. You just boil your pasta, reserve half the pasta water, cube the butter, and toss together the al dente pasta, pasta water, butter, lemon juice, and garlic. Once everything is combined and all melted together, creating this heavenly garlic butter sauce, you sprinkle on chopped parsley for some fresh herbaceousness, and voila. It's simple, elegant, filling, and something everyone in the family will love.

One of the most appealing aspects of a dish this simple is how versatile it is. It's absolutely mouthwatering and satisfying on its own, but there's also really no way you can go wrong dressing it up. You can bulk up your garlic butter noodles with a protein addition, for starters. Try crumbled chicken sausage, turkey meatballs, or pancetta or bacon. Chicken is always a winner, and keeps the dish just as versatile for when you get to possible veggies and seasonings. This is a great way to use rotisserie chicken, but just about any other kind will do, too. Prefer seafood? Make a garlic butter shrimp that matches the noodles perfectly while bringing in a sweet yet savory quality. You could also use clams, mussels, or salmon, or the inexpensive salmon alternative, char.

You can go meat-free, too, or just further jazz up your noodles-and-meat with any manner of vegetables. Peas go with just about everything, as do broccoli and spinach. Mushrooms are substantial enough to shine on their own or work with chicken. Bell peppers add some heat, and cherry tomatoes contribute sweetness and a touch of acidity. For final touches, chopped black olives are a nice salty kick, and herbs like basil, sage, oregano, or thyme further amplify the parsley's freshness. Red pepper flakes provide spice, and some richness from freshly shaved parmesan or grated mozzarella — or a dollop of fresh ricotta — is a dreamy finish.