One-Pot Garlic Butter Ditalini (Printable)

Creamy ditalini cooked with garlic and butter in broth for a quick, comforting pasta meal.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 ounces ditalini pasta

→ Broth & Dairy

02 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian)
03 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

→ Aromatics

05 - 4 large garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped (optional)

→ Seasonings

07 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
09 - Salt, to taste

→ Garnish

10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
11 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

# How-To Steps:

01 - Melt butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add minced garlic and shallot if using. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant without browning.
02 - Add ditalini pasta to the saucepan and stir to evenly coat it with the butter and garlic mixture.
03 - Pour in the chicken broth, increase heat to bring the mixture to a boil.
04 - Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until pasta is al dente and most liquid is absorbed. Add splash of hot water or extra broth if mixture dries out before pasta is tender.
05 - Stir in grated Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Adjust seasoning with salt to taste.
06 - Remove from heat and let rest for 2 minutes to allow the dish to thicken further.
07 - Serve immediately, topped with chopped fresh parsley and extra grated Parmesan cheese as desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's genuinely fast—from hungry to fed in twenty minutes, no shortcuts that compromise flavor.
  • Everything happens in one pot, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying actual food.
  • The creamy broth-and-butter coating feels indulgent but stays light enough to eat without guilt.
02 -
  • The pasta keeps absorbing liquid even after you take the pot off heat, so if you cook it until it looks perfectly creamy, it'll be mushy by the time you eat it—aim for slightly wetter than you think it should be.
  • Freshly grated Parmesan melts into the dish and becomes part of the sauce, while pre-grated cheese stays grainy and separated because of the anti-caking powder they coat it with.
03 -
  • Save a cup of pasta cooking water before you drain it (or in this case, before you use broth instead)—the starch-laden water is liquid gold if you need to loosen the pasta after it's sat for a few minutes.
  • If you're making this for someone picky about heat, leave the red pepper flakes out entirely and let them add their own at the table, because burned sensitivity to spice is real and nobody wants that surprise.
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