This pasta with a side of these meatballs in warm marinara and a simple green or radicchio salad is the perfect Valentine’s Day or date night dinner (recipe can easily be cut in half to serve two). It also comes together super fast, uses ingredients you probably always have, and you can easily sneak in some veg for a nourishing, speedy weeknight dinner.
This pasta is like an adult version of mac and cheese. The noodles get tossed in a mixture of parmesan, egg, butter, and pasta water until an ultra silky cheesy sauce forms and coats the noodles (kind of like carbonara but less eggy and more buttery). Top it with parm, black pepper, and (optional) gremolata – a simple mixture of parsley, garlic, and lemon zest.
This may seem like a meal with nothing but carbs and fat, but the combo of the noodles, parm, and egg actually pack in 25g protein and you’re getting a good dose of calcium, selenium, and zinc.
Ingredient highlight
Parmesan cheese! This versatile hard, nutty, aged Italian cheese is a good source of protein and bone-building nutrients calcium and phosphorous. Just one ounce of parmesan gives you about 10g of protein and about 1/4 of your daily recommended calcium. It’s also easier to digest than most cheese because it has lower lactose levels and it also contains some probiotics (that’s what gives this cheese it’s slightly tangy flavor).
Make sure to buy the good stuff when it comes to parmesan because there are a lot of bad “parmesan” cheeses out there. Always look for “parmigiano reggiano” and it’s best to buy it in a block and grate it at home. The best price for the quality I’ve found is at Costco or Trader Joe’sCheck out the videos for my favorite way to quickly grate a lot of parm at once!
Servings 4
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Cook Time 15 minutes Ingredients
- 12-16 oz pasta of choice*
- 4 tbsp (56g) butter, cut into cubes
- 1 ¼ cup (5 oz) finely grated parmesan**
- 2 large eggs
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½-1 tsp black pepper (depending on how peppery you like it)
For the gremolata (optional):***
- 1 cup loosely packed parsley leaves, finely chopped (¼ cup finely chopped)
- 1 clove garlic, grated or minced
- 1 lemon, zested
- *I tested with lots of different shapes and my favorite was bucatini and a harder to find one called gnoccheti sardi, but you can’t go wrong.
- **Use a wedge of good parmigiano reggiano (I get mine at Costco). Watch this video for the best way to finely grate your parm.
- ***Only make this if you enjoy the taste of raw garlic and don’t mind a little garlic breath. You can skip it and simply top your pasta with parsley and lemon zest or just leave it plain topped with black pepper, etc…
- Add protein! ~ You’re actually getting 25g protein per serving already (from the pasta, cheese, and egg), but to bump it even more you can serve meatballs on the side with warmed up marinara. Or top with cooked sausage – get the bulk sausage and cook it into nicely browned crumbles to put on top.
- Add veggies! ~ Quickly saute some frozen or fresh mushrooms to put on top or mix in. Or in the last 2-3 minutes of pasta cooking time, add in 2-4 cups finely chopped broccoli (or use frozen, chopped up) or greens like kale or spinach. Adjust the seasoning, to taste.
Instructions
- To make the gremolata (if using), add parsley, garlic, and lemon zest to a small bowl and use your hands to mix/massage the garlic and zest into the parsley to thoroughly combine.
- Bring a large pot of water (about 3-4 quarts) to a boil over high heat. Salt it generously (about 2-3 tsp), then add the pasta. Cook according to the package instructions. Reserve about a cup of the pasta water, then drain. Transfer the pasta back to the pot, immediately add the butter and stir until the butter is melted.
- While the pasta cooks, in a medium bowl, whisk together the cheese, eggs, salt, and pepper until combined. Slowly pour in about ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water, whisking constantly as you pour.
- Turn off the heat, then pour the cheese and egg mixture into the pot (while the pasta is still hot) and stir vigorously until the sauce is thickened and coating the noodles, about 1 minute. There will be some liquid/sauce sitting on the bottom.
- Let the pasta rest for about 3-5 minutes – the liquid will thicken up as the pasta sits, then give it one final toss, adding more pasta water if needed to thin it out. Taste the pasta and add more salt, if needed.
- Serve topped with gremolata (if using), black pepper, and more parmesan.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Make the gremolata (if using)
- Cut 4 tbsp butter into cubes
- Finely grate 1 ¼ cup (5 oz) parmesan
Substitutions:
- This recipe can’t be made vegan, so I would suggest making this or this recipe instead.
- To make gluten-free, use any gluten-free pasta.
- If you must, olive oil can be used in place of butter. Ghee is a good dairy-free substitute for butter as well.
- Pecorino can be used in place of parmesan.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- All pasta will soak up the sauce as it sits, especially if it sits in your fridge overnight or longer. Reheat the pasta in your microwave with an extra splash of water, stirring after every 30-60 seconds. If it’s very dry, add a bit more water and stir it in. Top with plenty of cheese, gremolata (or parsley/lemon zest), and pepper.
- Top with cooked crumbled or sliced sausage or bacon.
- Top with a fried or soft-boiled egg.
- Steam some greens to mix into the pasta along with some extra parm.
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