Taking your first bite of this luscious Sage Brown Butter & Brie Pasta will trick you into thinking you're eating fancy. Indulgent. The last bite will make you satisfied yet somehow craving more. Crispy fragrant sage infused in nutty brown butter with creamy melted brie will be the pasta dish you didn't know you needed in your life, and it all comes together in less than 15 minutes.
I can't tell you which ingredient is the star of the show - it's truly the combination of them all. You get herbal brightness, savory buttery warmth, and a silky brie sauce clinging to every nook and cranny. It feels like elegant dining, but simple enough for a cozy dinner in.
This recipe is adapted from Carolina Gelen's reel. I've been following her on IG for years - she shares such creative recipes! How about unique fusion pastas? One of my all-time favorites you have to try is my Garlic Butter Chili Crisp Pasta - so much umami going on there!
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What Is Brown Butter?
Browning butter is essentially melting and cooking down butter gently on the stove. The milk solids in the butter separate and starts to caramelize. You're left with golden color butter, amber brown specks at the bottom of your pan, and an incredible nutty toasty aroma. Brown butter truly elevates so many recipes both savory and sweet. My favorites are using them in my Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies and Brown Butter Toasted Rice Krispies Treats!
Ingredients You'll Need
- Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter. Butter brands have different sodium levels, so be sure you're familiar with how salty they are before using. Many people use unsalted butter to this reason so they can control the amount of salt to add along the way.
- Sage: Fresh sage is my first choice. Measure cautiously when using dried herbs.
- Garlic: Not minced. Simply crushed fresh garlic.
- Brie: Use any wedge of brie, minus the rind. I find triple cream brie almost too creamy since it contains more butterfat, so I usually opt for classic or double cream brie.
- Pasta: Use your favorite pasta shape and cook according to package instructions.
- Salt: To salt pasta water.
How To Make Sage Brown Butter & Brie Pasta
Once butter has melted on low heat, add crushed garlic and sage leaves.
Turn off heat once you see amber brown specks. Remove garlic and sage leaves.
Cook pasta one min before al dente. Save a cup of pasta water.
Turn heat back on and transfer pasta directly into pan. Remove rind and add brie.
Allow cheese to melt. Pour in pasta water as needed until sauce comes together.
Plate paste with sage and garlic. Serve immediately. Salt to taste.
Suzy's Tips For Success
- Do not leave browning butter unattended: It only takes a few extra seconds for butter to go from brown to burnt. Stir butter or swirl the pan on low heat, and don't take your eye off it until it's done.
- Don't overcook your pasta: Take your pasta out of the boiling water 1 minute before cook time is done for al dente pasta. It will finish cooking once it's tossed in the butter sauce.
- GENEROUSLY salt your pasta water: This is the number one reason people claim their pasta dish is bland, regardless of how tasty the pasta sauce. I suspect people either forget this step or add too little salt, for fear they are ingesting all that sodium. We are enhancing the flavor of the pasta itself and its texture, and draining most of it away.
Store/Reheat Sage Brown Butter & Brie Pasta
Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days in the fridge, or freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, microwave covered for 1-2 minutes.
FAQ
Sure. Just substitute in your favorite gluten-free pasta!
Yes! Camembert would melt well. Or if you'd like to divert to hard grated cheese such as parmesan or pecorino, those would work also. Just be mindful some cheeses are saltier than others.
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Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 10-12 sage leaves
- 3 garlic cloves crushed
- 7 oz pasta
- 7-8 oz brie cheese no rind
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large saucepan on medium-low heat. Once melted, add sage and garlic. Allow it to sizzle until butter starts to turn brown and you see amber specks at the bottom of the pan. Turn off heat immediately as residual heat will continue to toast the milk solids. Remove sage and garlic, and set aside.½ cup butter, 10-12 sage leaves, 3 garlic cloves
- Meanwhile in a large pot, generously salt your water and bring to a boil. Cook pasta 1 minute less than package instructions. Save a cup of pasta water to add to sauce later.7 oz pasta
- Toss pasta directly into the butter saucepan and turn on the heat. Add in the brie (no rind) and pour in some pasta water. Stir until sauce comes together, adding more pasta water as needed to desired consistency.7-8 oz brie cheese
- Plate the pasta with garlic and crispy sage. Salt to taste and serve immediately.
Nutrition
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Kristine says
I came here because of your Instagram video about traffic to the site and I want to support you, and what do you know, I found a recipe I'm going to try! This one I'm commenting on! 🙂 I found you first on TT, during the pandemic, but had no idea you didn't know how to cook/bake. Your accomplishments are amazing and well deserved! I'll report back once I make it!
Suzy says
Please do, Kristine! Thank you so much for watching my stories, and I appreciate you visiting me here. I'll continue to put out more recipes to everyone to try.