Garlic Pasta with Ghee: Use Pasta Water for a Light Coating

By Faimly Farm · 17 October 2026

For garlic pasta with ghee, soften sliced garlic gently and toss freshly cooked pasta with a little reserved cooking water. Add water in small amounts while tossing so the coating clings rather than collecting as a pool of fat.

Two portions; around 20 minutes.

Ingredients

• 160 g dried spaghetti or another pasta
• 15 g ghee
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• About 150 mL reserved pasta cooking water, not necessarily all used
• Salt for cooking water
• Black pepper and chopped parsley or coriander
• Lemon zest, optional

Method

1. Boil pasta in a large pan of water following its packet timing. Salt to preference. Keep the pasta moving initially so strands do not stick.
2. While it cooks, melt ghee in a broad pan over low heat. Add garlic and let it soften gently. Stop before it becomes dark brown; move the pan off the heat if necessary.
3. Before draining, carefully reserve some pasta water in a heatproof vessel. Drain the cooked pasta without rinsing.
4. Add pasta to the garlic pan with 2 tablespoons of the reserved water. Toss over gentle heat until the liquid and fat coat the strands.
5. Add further water a tablespoon at a time if dry. Stop when lightly glossy; do not pour in the full reserved amount automatically.
6. Season with pepper and herbs, add optional zest, and serve at once.

A coating is different from a puddle

If liquid collects under the pasta, keep tossing briefly over gentle heat. If the strands stick together and look dry, add another small spoon of hot cooking water. If the garlic has burnt, start that small garlic-and-ghee stage again: extra water cannot remove bitterness. This is a ghee adaptation, not a claim to an authentic olive-oil pasta recipe.

Have plates and garnishes ready before draining. Cooling pasta firms and absorbs sauce differently, so a pan left unattended can look dry when you return. Taste before adding extra salt because the cooking water contributes seasoning. Check the pasta label for wheat and egg ingredients; the ghee itself is milk-derived.

Frequently asked questions

Can I drain away all the pasta water?

Reserve some first. Plain hot water can loosen pasta, but the reserved cooking water is the intended ingredient here.

Should I rinse the pasta?

Not for this hot tossed preparation. Drain and move it straight to the finishing pan.

Can I add cheese?

You can, but it changes salt and thickness. Add gradually off strong heat and adjust only after tasting.

Leftovers: refrigerate within two hours; use within 48 hours or freeze. Reheat once, until steaming hot. Source checked 17 October 2026: Food Standards Agency: Cooking Your Food.

More ways to cook with ghee

For a broader reference, see The Complete Guide to Cooking with A2 Ghee. Continue with White Sauce with Ghee: A Small Roux without Lumps and Ghee-Seared Mushrooms: Cooking in Batches.

Choosing ghee for this recipe

If you would like to use a cultured cow-ghee option in this garlic sauce, view Faimly Farm Cultured A2 Cow Ghee Fresh and Premium. Begin with the stated quantity and adjust the pasta water gradually. A different product does not remove the need to toss the sauce with the pasta.

Check the selected pack's ingredients, storage directions and current availability. Ghee is milk-derived; an A2 description does not make this recipe dairy-free.

For another savoury sauce-based dish, see Tomato Soup with Ghee: Building Flavour without a Greasy Finish; it explains how to keep the final texture balanced.

Prepared with AI assistance. This recipe has not been independently kitchen-tested by Faimly Farm; use the cooking cues and adjust for your ingredients and equipment. Featured banner: AI-generated editorial illustration, not a photograph of a tested recipe.