Garlic Butter Noodles with Egg — Ready in 15 Minutes
Five ingredients, one pan, dinner in 15 minutes — this is the move.
It's one of those nights where you cannot deal with a recipe that requires thought. This is for that night. Garlic butter noodles with a jammy or silky egg stirred right in — it's simple in the best possible way. The butter and garlic create a glossy, savory sauce that clings to every noodle, and the egg adds richness without any extra effort. Expect something that tastes like it took more work than it did. Honest disclaimer: it's not fancy, but it is deeply satisfying, and you'll have it on the table in about 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- 6 oz thin spaghetti or linguine — or egg noodles if you have them
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 unit garlic cloves — minced or pressed
- 2 unit large eggs
- 2 tbsp soy sauce — low-sodium preferred
- 1 tsp sesame oil — optional but recommended
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes — optional, for heat
- 2 unit scallions — thinly sliced, for garnish
Method
- 1 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1/4 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta.
- 2 While the pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 60–90 seconds until fragrant and just starting to turn golden. Don't walk away — garlic burns fast.
- 3 Add the soy sauce and a splash (about 2 tbsp) of the reserved pasta water to the skillet. Stir to combine into a glossy sauce.
- 4 Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss well to coat every strand in the garlic butter sauce. Turn the heat to medium-low.
- 5 Crack both eggs directly into the skillet over the noodles. Using tongs or a fork, toss the noodles quickly and continuously for about 60–90 seconds. The egg will cook from the residual heat and coat the noodles in a creamy, silky layer. If the pan looks too dry, add another small splash of pasta water.
- 6 Remove from heat. Drizzle with sesame oil if using, and add red pepper flakes if desired. Taste and adjust soy sauce as needed.
- 7 Divide into bowls and top with sliced scallions. Serve immediately.
Variations
- Add Parmesan for a Western twist — Skip the soy sauce and sesame oil. Instead, finish with 1/4 cup grated Parmesan and a squeeze of lemon. It becomes closer to cacio e pepe territory — still just as fast.
- Make it vegan — Use vegan butter and skip the eggs. Add 1 tbsp of nutritional yeast to the sauce for a savory, umami depth. Finish with toasted sesame seeds for texture.
- Faster version with ramen noodles — Swap pasta for instant ramen noodles (discard the seasoning packet). They cook in 2–3 minutes, cutting total time to under 10 minutes.
Notes
The key to silky eggs (not scrambled eggs) is constant tossing over low heat and moving fast once the eggs go in. The pasta water is your best friend here — it helps emulsify the sauce and keeps things loose. If you want a runny yolk on top instead of stirred-in eggs, fry the eggs separately and lay them over the finished noodles.
Equipment that helps
- Large skillet — A wide surface area lets the sauce reduce quickly and gives you room to toss the noodles without them flying out.
- Tongs — Tossing noodles continuously once the egg goes in is much easier with tongs than a spoon — speed matters here.
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