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You’ll want to make this brown butter brussels sprouts pasta over and over again this fall and winter! This decadent and easy to make pasta dinner is full of sautéed brussels sprouts, pappardelle, a nutty brown butter sauce, and topped with parmesan cheese and toasted walnuts.
Thanks to my friends at DeLallo for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions are my own.
It’s nearly fall and what better way to get us in the mood for cooler weather, cozy sweaters and changing leaves, than a delicious comfort food dinner. This brown butter brussels sprouts pasta is part decadent with a splash of healthy thanks to seasonal brussels sprouts.
There aren’t many ingredients in this recipe, so you might be wondering where all the flavor comes from. It’s all in the brown butter! If you’ve never made brown butter you’re missing out and once you do, you’ll want to add it to everything.
It’s nutty, buttery, and rich in flavor. It’s also extremely easy to make as you’ll see below. The brown butter acts as the pasta sauce, along with some lemon juice, parmesan cheese and pasta water.
The other half of this recipe is the brussels sprouts. They’re shaved and sautéed so they get soft and a little caramelized. If you’re on the fence about brussels sprouts, I think you’ll find this pasta recipe an appealing way to eat them.
The brussels sprouts and brown butter sauce are tossed together with DeLallo’s amazing pappardelle pasta. Up until now I haven’t cooked with pappardelle, but I may never cook another pasta again!
DeLallo’s pappardelle is an egg pasta, which is why it has such a beautiful golden color. The eggs also give it a richer flavor, which lends itself well to the nuttiness of the brown butter and bright, fresh flavor from the lemon.
Ingredients For Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts Pasta
- unsalted butter
- DeLallo pappardelle egg pasta
- DeLallo private reserve extra virgin olive oil
- shallot
- brussels sprouts
- red pepper flakes
- lemon
- parmesan cheese
- walnuts
How To Brown Butter
Browning butter is a simple process that takes the flavor of regular butter up a notch. Essentially you’re taking butter past the stage of melting so that the milk solids turn brown and have a nutty aroma and flavor.
Cut the butter into smaller slices rather that putting it all in at once. In a small light-colored saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and let it melt, whisking occasionally.
Once it’s melted continue to let it cook. You’ll notice that foam appears at the top. Continue to whisk frequently. As the foam dissipates you’ll start to see flecks of brown at the bottom of the pan. The butter should also start to smell nutty.
Once the bottom of the pan is covered in the brown flecks, remove it from the heat to stop the cooking process. Brown butter can turn into burnt butter if cooked too long and the taste will not be appealing. Overall, the whole process should take 5-8 minutes depending on the amount of butter you’re using.
How To Make Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts Pasta
Start by browning the butter following the steps listed above. Once the butter is browned, set it aside. Cook the pappardelle and in a separate large skillet heat the olive oil.
Add the shallot, shaved brussels sprouts, and red pepper flakes to the skillet and sauté everything for several minutes. The brussels sprouts should be soft and have a little caramelization to them.
Once the brussels sprouts are tender squeeze the lemon juice in and add in the cooked pappardelle, brown butter, parmesan cheese and some of the pasta water. I used about 1/3 of a cup of the pasta water, but you may find that you want to use more or less depending on how “saucy” you want it to be.
I recommend using tongs to toss the pasta with the brussels sprouts and sauce. It’s the easiest way to get everything coated in the sauce and evenly distributed. Just before serving top the pasta top it with extra parmesan cheese and the toasted walnuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use the walnuts?
No. You can either omit the walnuts or if you’re looking for a substitution, try toasted hazelnuts or pine nuts.
How long will the pasta keep?
The leftovers for this brown butter brussels sprouts pasta will keep for a couple days. With that being said, the pasta will absorb most of the sauce and you may find the leftovers to be a bit dry. You can add a little extra brown butter or lemon juice to help with this.
What can I use instead of pappardelle?
If you can’t get your hands on the pappardelle I would recommend using fettuccine or even a small pasta such as orecchiette. DeLallo also has a line of gluten-free pasta if you need to make this dish gluten-free.
More Fall Pasta Recipes
- Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Pesto Pasta
- Bacon, Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash Pasta
- Spicy Sausage and Broccoli Pasta
- Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Pesto Pasta
- Chicken Pot Pie Pasta
Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts Pasta
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter browned
- 1 bag DeLallo Pappardelle Egg Pasta
- 1 tablespoon DeLallo Private Reserve Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/3 cup finely diced shallot
- 12 ounces shaved brussels sprouts or thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
- Juice of a lemon
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1/3 – 1/2 cup pasta water
- 2 tablespoon chopped toasted walnuts optional
Instructions
- Add the butter to a small saucepan over medium heat. Melt the butter stirring frequently. Continue to cook the butter until brown bits form at the bottom of the pan. It will take about 6-8 minutes. Once the butter is brown remove it from the heat.
- Cook the pasta in salted water in a large pot until al dente. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl to coat the bottom and then add in the shallot, shaved brussels sprouts, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Sauté until the brussels sprouts are tender and caramelized, about 6-8 minutes.
- Once the brussels sprouts are tender, squeeze in the juice of a lemon and add in the parmesan cheese and pappardelle. Pour in the brown butter and add in about 1/3 cup of the pasta water (more if needed). Toss everything together with tongs until it’s coated in the sauce. Top with the toasted walnuts and extra parmesan cheese before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
ULTIMATE COMFORT MEAL!!! So delicious! Our 3 teen boys loved it too. :)
Fantastic! Happy to hear you all loved it!
A family favorite! Simple yet elevated.
Amazing! So happy to hear it’s a favorite.
Super tasty. I think next time I would wait to make the browned butter as some of it seemed to dry and harden by the time I needed to add to pasta. But the flavors are great. I added carrots