Anchovy Butter Pasta

Name: Anchovy Butter Pasta
Ingredients: 1 pound spaghetti or linguine; 6 tablespoons unsalted butter; 8 anchovy fillets packed in oil; 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced; Red pepper flakes

Anchovies dissolve into liquid umami gold in this deceptively simple pasta that tastes like you spent hours on sauce.

1 min Mild Rebel 5 ingredients

Ingredients

1 pound spaghetti or linguine
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 anchovy fillets packed in oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Red pepper flakes

Preparation

This is Italian cooking at its most essential—transforming pantry staples into something that tastes far more luxurious than the sum of its parts. The anchovies melt completely, leaving only savory depth behind.

Preparation

Cook pasta in well-salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add anchovies and cook, stirring and breaking them up with a spoon, until they dissolve into the butter, about 3 minutes.
Add garlic and a generous pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook until garlic is fragrant and just beginning to turn golden, about 1 minute.
Add drained pasta to the skillet with 1/2 cup reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously until sauce emulsifies and coats the pasta, adding more pasta water if needed.
Serve immediately with more red pepper flakes on the side.

5-Ingredient Magic

Anchovy Butter Pasta

July 9, 2026 1 min read Mild Rebel 5 ingredients

Anchovies dissolve into liquid umami gold in this deceptively simple pasta that tastes like you spent hours on sauce.

Ingredients

0/5 ready

1 pound spaghetti or linguine
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 anchovy fillets packed in oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Red pepper flakes

The Story & Steps

Preparation

Cook pasta in well-salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add anchovies and cook, stirring and breaking them up with a spoon, until they dissolve into the butter, about 3 minutes.
Add garlic and a generous pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook until garlic is fragrant and just beginning to turn golden, about 1 minute.
Add drained pasta to the skillet with 1/2 cup reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously until sauce emulsifies and coats the pasta, adding more pasta water if needed.
Serve immediately with more red pepper flakes on the side.

More 5-Ingredient Magic