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Chili Oil Garlic Butter Pasta

5 from 1 vote
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Ingredients

Garlic Confit Butter

  • 2 bulbs garlic cloves peeled
  • 1/2 cup olive oil enough to cover cloves
  • 1/2 cup butter softened

Chili Oil Garlic Butter Pasta

  • 200 g pasta of choice
  • 1 onion thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp chili oil adjust to taste
  • 6 tbsp garlic butter from above
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp honey adjust to taste
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan
  • 1/4 cup pasta water adjust to preferred consistency
  • 1/4 cup parsley finely chopped

Instructions

Garlic Confit Butter

  • Place garlic cloves in a small saucepan and cover with oil.
  • Cook over low heat (oil should just bubble gently, ~90–95 °C / 195–205 °F) until cloves are soft and golden, 20–30 minutes.
  • Cool slightly. Drain cloves (reserve oil).
  • Blend confit garlic with softened butter until smooth. Store in fridge up to 2 weeks.

Chili Oil Garlic Butter Pasta

  • In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until just shy of al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water.
  • In a pan, heat garlic oil over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook slowly, stirring often, until deep golden and sweet (10–15 minutes).
  • Stir in chili oil. Keep heat at medium-low; let spices open up for 30–60 seconds.
  • Drop in 6 tbsp garlic confit butter. Let it melt fully into the onions. Keep heat gentle to avoid separating the butter.
  • Stir in soy sauce and honey. 
  • Lower heat to low. Pour in heavy cream and stir until smooth. Let it simmer gently for 2–3 minutes — do not boil.
  • With heat still on low, sprinkle parmesan directly into the cream sauce. Stir until fully melted and smooth. The sauce should look glossy and slightly thickened.
  • Add pasta and a splash of pasta water. Toss vigorously over low heat until the sauce clings to the noodles. If too thick, loosen with more pasta water.
  • Stir in parsley. Serve with extra chili oil and parmesan.