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One pan Buttered Noodles are cozy comfort food and a quick and easy side dish. A luscious, buttery sauce is created as the noodles simmer.

buttered noodles with parsley, wooden spoon

When you need a simple side dish to serve with your favorite Baked Pork Chops, Baked Salmon or chicken recipe, buttered noodles is the perfect choice! With just a few minutes of prep and less than 15 minutes of cooking time, this recipe is fast, easy and so delicious.

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Why I Love This Recipe

The first time I tested this recipe was a late night movie night with my husband. He declared it the best buttered noodles recipe ever, if not the best recipe ever! I had added parmesan cheese to the finished dish and we scarfed it down. Truth be told, I’d happily munch on pasta over popcorn any day!

The second time I tested it, I made it as a side dish for my grilled chicken. I doubled the recipe and ended up with a little liquid left in the pan, so the third time I adjusted the liquid and it was perfect (see recipe notes below).

The best part is that the noodles cook and the sauce is created with no draining required! As the pasta boils it releases starches that thicken the liquid to form the sauce. The noodles are creamy, buttery and so rich and luscious. Perfect as a simple side dish or a late night indulgence.

recipe walkthrough

How to Make One Pan Buttered Noodles

  • Boil the liquids. Heat some water, chicken broth and butter in a large pot on the stove. Feel free to use vegetable broth instead of chicken if you like.
  • Add the noodles. I vacillate between egg noodles and spaghetti noodles, but you could use linguine or rotini, too. The cooking time will vary for each different kind of pasta.
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to about a medium-low, and keep stirring the noodles often for about 10-12 minutes until they’re fully cooked. Occasionally I’ll have a little liquid left in the pan and I just spoon it out. If you plan to add cheese, you definitely do need a little bit of liquid left to create a cheesy sauce.
  • Add more butter and toss it all together so all of the noodles are covered with that luscious, buttery sauce.
collage of 3 images showing the steps for making one pan buttered noodles

Recipe Tips

  • Doubling the recipe: This recipe is really easy to double. You need to have a pan that’s large enough (I love Calphalon’s Everyday Pan; it’s 12 inches around and about 3 inches deep). You won’t quite need double the amount of liquid, so if there’s extra left in the pan just ladle it out.
  • Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a small pan on the stove. Add a splash of broth or water if the noodles seem dry. Freezing is not recommend – this dish is best fresh.
  • Parmesan noodles: stir in ¼ cup fresh grated parmesan at the end.
  • Garlic noodles: Add 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced, to the boiling water and cook with the pasta.
gray plate, egg noodles with parmesan cheese, gray napkin, forks

More Simple Pasta Recipes

Recipe
egg noodles with butter, wooden spoon, silver pan

One Pan Buttered Noodles

4.73 from 11 votes
One Pan Buttered Noodles is a fast and easy side dish. As the pasta simmers it creates a rich and luscious sauce – no draining required!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Chicken broth or vegetable broth
  • 2 cups Water
  • ½ cup Butter 1 stick, divided
  • 12 ounces Egg noodles or spaghetti/linguine (more time required)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh minced parsley optional
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Instructions
 

  • In a large, deep skillet over medium heat, bring water, broth and half of the butter to a boil.
  • Add noodles and reduce heat to medium-low. Stir frequently with tongs or a wooden spoon for about 12-14 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed and pasta is cooked.
  • The remaining liquid will be thick to create the sauce. Add the rest of the butter to the pan, turn off the heat, and stir to coat.
  • Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with fresh minced parsley if desired.

Notes

Parmesan buttered noodles: stir in ¼ cup fresh grated parmesan at the end.
Garlic buttered noodles: Add 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced, to the boiling water and cook with the pasta.
For a lower calorie dish, reduce the butter by half.
To double the recipe: double the amount of noodles and butter, but only add about 50% more liquid. You can double that too, but you might be ladeling some out once the noodles are cooked. 

Nutrition

Calories: 355kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 8gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 294mgPotassium: 170mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 508IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.

Kristin Maxwell

Kristin Maxwell is the creator and main recipe developer, writer, and photographer of Yellow Bliss Road. A self-taught cook and self-appointed foodie, she specializes in easy, flavorful and approachable recipes for any home cook.

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4.73 from 11 votes (9 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Anita says:

    I love this recipe! It is simple and delicious and pairs well with so many things. Thank you

    1. Kristin says:

      You are so welcome Anita! Thanks for stopping by.

  2. Jen says:

    This was the perfect gentle recipe as written for the tummies recovering from the flu in our home. Once everyone was better, they asked for it again. The second time I added peas, seasoned ground turkey, and a lot of grated parmesan to make it a complete meal and it was really good. Thanks for a quick and easy recipe!

    1. Kristin says:

      You are so welcome Jen! Love your feedback, thanks for stopping by.

  3. Christina Lindholm says:

    This recipe is great! I usually add sauteed carrots, onion, celery and garlic, dried thyme and parley right into the cooking broth (sometimes bone broth!)

    1. Kristin says:

      Love the feedback Christina! Thanks for stopping by.

  4. Felicia Thayer says:

    Delicious!

    1. Kristin says:

      Thank you Felicia!