This five ingredient Penne with Brussels Sprouts and Parmesan is swimming in a rich brown butter sauce. The perfect vegetarian meal or quick and easy side dish!
What ingredients do you need to make Browned Butter Brussels Sprouts Penne?
- Penne
- Brussels Sprouts
- Butter
- Garlic
- Parmesan
How do you make Browned Butter Penne?
- The first step is to cook the pasta. I use gluten free penne pasta, however you can use your favorite kind or brand. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cool water and set aside in a large bowl.
- Next, heat a large heavy bottom skillet to medium heat. Heat 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil to medium heat, add minced garlic and halved Brussels sprouts. Place the Brussels sprouts cut side down in the skillet allow them to cook for 2-3 minutes without stirring until they become crisp.
- Stir the Brussels sprouts and cook for 1-2 more minutes until they are tender and crisp enough for your liking. Move the Brussels sprouts to the bowl with the penne.
- Lastly, make the brown butter sauce by adding 4 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and heat over medium low heat. Once the butter has melted completely cook 2-3 more minutes until very lightly browned, stirring regularly.
- Pour the brown butter over the penne and Brussels sprouts and toss with parmesan, salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
What should I serve with Browned Butter Penne?
Since the flavors of this dish are so mild, a rich brown butter sauce, garlic and parmesan it pairs well with just about everything. Personally, I love to serve it with these Blackened Pork Chops or Chicken because I love the spicy meat paired with the buttery pasta. However, these are some of my other favorites:
- Parmesan Crusted Halibut
- Buffalo Roast Chicken
- Asparagus and Mozzarella Salad
- Chipotle Grilled Chicken
What are some other easy one pan dishes?
One of the most popular recipes on this site is my One Pan Taco Mac. This easy pasta dish is packed with meat, noodles and cheese. It has over 200 reviews, so clearly it is a winner! Some other easy one pan dishes I love are:
Brown Butter Penne for One
This five ingredient Penne with Brussels Sprouts and Parmesan is swimming in a rich brown butter sauce. The perfect vegetarian meal or quick and easy side dish!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Barilla Gluten Free Penne
- 6 Brussels Sprouts, sliced
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1.5 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons freshly shredded Parmesan
Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Set aside.
Heat a skillet to medium heat.
Add olive oil and brussels sprouts, sliced side down. Cook 3 minutes. Turn and cook one more minute.
Add butter, garlic, and spices.
Cook 2 minutes stirring regularly. The butter will brown nicely and the garlic will get a little crisp.
Pour over the pasta and toss with shredded parmesan.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 532Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 919mgCarbohydrates: 52gFiber: 6gSugar: 3gProtein: 15g
To avoid any confusion I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it is not known to affect blood glucose levels. To calculate Keto recipes listed on this site carbs - fiber = net carbs. I use Nutrifox as my nutrition calculator. This nutrition information is an estimate based on the information provided by Nutrifox and the specific ingredients I used.
Ceara+@+Ceara's+Kitchen says
I think every food blogger can relate! 😀 It’s the worst when recipes just don’t work out! And other times, without even thinking, awesome recipes like this come to be 🙂 I’ve never had brussels sprouts in my pasta before but this dinner sounds fantastic 🙂 Love!
Maebells says
Thanks Ceara! You should try it! I think you would really like it!
Bri+|+Bites+of+Bri says
You really hit the nail on the head! I hate that blogging means rarely repeating a recipe…even the REALLY good ones! Pasta is a personal favorite and I’m always ready for some brussels sprouts. Looks delicious 🙂 especially given the effort it took before you made this perfection.
Maebells says
Thanks Bri!! It is hard not making your favorites isn’t it?! This past week I refused to make anything new. I just kind of wanted regular old tried and true recipes! 🙂
Kacey+@+The+Cookie+Writer says
I love how delicious this looks! I always struggle taking photos of pasta for some reason. I just cannot do it. I am going to have to sit down one night with a couple of bowls and practice. Then eat them 🙂
Maebells says
Kacey that is so funny! I just had that conversation with my husband this morning! The pasta either looks too plain or is too covered in sauce! I liked how these turned out though! 🙂
Jessica+in+the+Kitchen says
Annie – I literally talk about this on my blog post today! We have these great recipes that aren’t meant to be posted – but isn’t that what people want to see?! This looks incredible – browned butter (tick), penne (tick), and brussels sprouts (extra tick!). Pinning this beautiful recipe!
Maebells says
Yes!! I think the same things, sometimes I eat the best stuff that is so simple and I think there is no way this is “blog worthy” but shouldn’t easy and delicious meals ALWAYS be considered blog worthy?!
Olivia+@+Olivia's+Cuisine says
Girl, you just described my life! It is very frustrated, indeed. Sometimes I make something and it turns out delicious, but then I hate the photos. Sometimes the photos are great but the taste is not blog material. It drives me nuts! And it can be quite expensive! Anyway… This pasta looks like something I could eat now. Ive never had brussel sprouts before, can you believe that? It usually looks so good, but I haven’t had the chance. Need to change this ASAP!
Maebells says
Olivia I can’t believe you haven’t had sprouts!! This is a good recipe to start because what isn’t good covered in brown butter and Parmesan?! 🙂
Laura+@Petite+Allergy+Treats says
I should really follow your lead and post more quick recipes we eat. I hear you about failed recipes… not fun but you learn right?
Maebells says
That is very true!! Nothing about it is fun, but I do learn so much from recipe fails!
Natalie+@+Tastes+Lovely says
6 recipe fails in one day? Oh man, that’s rough Annie! I hate when that happens. And why is it always the recipes with super expensive ingredients fail? This recipe is just amazing! Love simple ones like this. Brown butter makes everything better. Gorgeous pictures as always!
Maebells says
Yes!! GF flour is like powdered gold and when I screw up a recipe with that it makes me sick thinking of how much money I literally just throw away! 🙁 But my solution on this particular day was pasta+furniture shopping! haha! 🙂
Katie says
Yum, I can understand why you made this over and over again, it looks so yummy. I hate food blog fails but at least you ended up happy with this pasta, plus it’s got brussel sprouts so you can feel good about eating it 🙂
Beth says
6 fails?!!! What?! Girl! I get teary eyed when one doesn’t work!
Melanie | Melanie Makes says
I’m all about brussels sprouts and then you go and add butter and pasta and I’m 100% all in, Annie!
Heather | girlichef says
I love how simple things like this can become blogworthy – happy accidents! Almost (almost) takes that sting from the other six away. This does look amazing, I love brown butter and brussels sprouts, so I’m just imaging how brilliant they must be together.
Alyssa+@+My+Sequined+Life says
Ooh I know what you mean! This delish bowl looks like the perfect way to get over some flops. The browned butter + parmesan combo sounds heavenly!
Ashlyn+@+Belle+of+the+Kitchen says
Girl, I am so sorry you had to deal with all of that frustration, but LOOK at the gorgeous bowl of food that came from all of that! Gah, I could eat my weight in this pasta! It makes me want to eat brussels sprouts for breakfast, and that’s saying something. 😉
Maebells says
Thanks Ashlyn!! 🙂 This pasta even makes me want to eat Brussels sprouts for breakfast! haha!
Jaren (Diary of a Recipe Collector) says
This pasta looks so absolutely delicious! My hubby would LOVE this meal too!!
Maebells says
Thanks Jaren! I was kind of shocked that my husband ate it! haha!
Manali@CookWithManali says
Simple and delicious! Love it Annie and I understand your frustration…sometimes the pics aren’t good, sometimes the taste isn’t ! Food blogger problems!
Maebells says
It is constant struggle isn’t it Manali! 🙂
Rachelle says
I am a huge fan of brussels AND pasta! I really love the simplicity of this dish too.
Maebells says
Thank you Rachelle!! I agree, sometimes you just need a big bowl of comfort food that is easy!!
Annie @ ciaochowbambina says
This is simply divine, Annie! I love everything about it! It’s on my list! PS) Love your new design! 🙂
Maebells says
Thank you Annie!! I do too! 🙂 It feels a lot “cleaner” to me!
Helen+@+Scrummy+Lane says
I totally hear you, Annie! My husband is always complaining that our eating is totally shaped around my blog … lol! Ha, he should be thanking me, not moaning!
Anyway, I think I would have eaten this at least 3 times, too. I’ve never put brussels in pasta before, but I really love the idea – especially with all that parmesan … mmm!
Maebells says
Helen I am so with you!! Why are they not thanking us?! Constant delicious food?! Why is that a bag thing? hahaha! Except something when I make something new and terrible and he has to eat cereal for dinner. Other than that he should be thanking me! 😉
Justine | Cooking and Beer says
I am totally with you, Annie! We hardly EVER eat repeats around here, but that means our lives a little less boring, right?! I would definitely add this penne to my repeat list. Looks so yummy!
Maebells says
Yes it definitely keeps things interesting Justine! 🙂
mymansbelly says
Oh can I relate to the food bombs! It seems to run in spurts. Isn’t it funny how the quickest, simplest dishes (that you completely wing) are the one’s that usually make it with no problems.
Maebells says
It really does!! It always amazes me how something I definitely don’t plan to posts ends up being better than something I spend hours developing! I guess that just goes to show you that less is more! 🙂
The Steaming Pot says
I’ve only recently started including brussels sprouts into my kitchen ingredient list, and keep my antenna on alert for good recipes with the vegetable. This one sounds like a keeper! Thanks for sharing it.
Maebells says
It is such a versatile vegetable! I really love it! I hope you try this! 🙂
Andi @ The Weary Chef says
Six fails is so depressing, but I’m glad the day ended with a hit like this one! I love brussels sprouts and pasta, so I know this would be a hit at our house too. Thanks for working so hard to keep bringing us such great recipes 🙂
Jess @ Flying on Jess Fuel says
I love bowls full of carbs! And I can see why you made this three times… brussels sprouts AND browned butter!? So much nutty goodness… sounds awesome!
Maebells says
Thanks Jess! They are seriously totally addictive! I know eating so much brown butter is probably not good, but I can’t stop! haha!
Traci | Vanilla And Bean says
Yup, I hear ya! Like every night trying to make something new…. or you know, one easily gets behind the curve ball. That’s where I’m at right now. The creative juices are just not flowin, unless I whip out my baking books…. but that’s not always practical! Sorry to hear about your 6 bombs! Awful! We eat the bombs here…. and I’m getting the stink eye a lot lately! So, occasionally I have to revert to stand by’s. Oh my goodness, the life of a foodblogger!
Love what you’ve done with the sprouts and pasta! A bowl full of carbs is ALWAYS soul soothing! Thank you Annie! I hope you have a more productive week! Fingers crossed!
Maebells says
I agree!! Sometimes I just can’t think of a thing!! I do try to keep a notebook full of ideas, so when the creative juices ARE flowing I have something to fall back on. But I have kind of decided the really good recipes can’t be forced. Sometimes you just have to let an idea go and move on! 🙂 I think that was my problem that day, I was stuck on my certain ideas and it just wasn’t going to happen! But these sprouts? Totally delicious!! 🙂
Erin @ The Speckled Palate says
I *totally* feel you on this! It’s so frustrating when you have so many dishes fail in one day (goodness knows I’ve experienced the same thing), but then it’s amazing when you come up with something so easy and delightful as this. I now desperately want this for dinner… and I wish I had all the ingredients lying around because I would TOTALLY make it.
The good news? Tomorrow is grocery shopping day, and I’m picking up supplies for it! Can’t wait!
Maebells says
Hi Erin! You are so right! It can be super frustrating!! But I do love happy accidents like this! 🙂 Easy and delicious!
Cary says
We love Brussels and are always looking for new ways to make them (hopefully, one day the kids will eat them, too). I can’t wait to try this.
Maebells says
Hi Cary!! I do too!! This is one of my favorite dishes! 🙂 If there is anything that might make your kids like them it would be butter, pasta and cheese, right?! 😉
Megan says
This is awesome! I love Brussel sprouts and I love pasta, so this was perfect!
Annie Holmes says
Hi Megan! You made my day! I am so glad! We LOVE this dish!!