Name: Easy Golden Butter and Sage Pasta Sauce
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 120 g (8 tbsp) salted butter; 15 fresh, beautiful fresh sage leaves; (1x) Fresh homemade pasta or Homemade gnocchi; Fresh parmesan cheese; 1/2 lemon

This easy, butter and sage pasta sauce is super simple to make: just one pan, 2 ingredients and only minutes to cook!

Butter and sage pasta sauce in a pan — Butter and sage pasta sauce

Butter and sage pasta sauce (Salsa di Burro e Salvia) is a classic Italian recipe typically used to dress fresh homemade pasta, homemade ravioli and gnocchi. The taste is toasty, rich and buttery with subtle hints of fragrant sage. Best part? All you need is one pan, 2 ingredients and only minutes to cook!

To clarify, this is not a dark “brown butter” sauce. It’s a “golden” butter sauce. The difference? Brown butter sauce cooks for longer, allowing the milk solids to turn a darkish, hazelnut brown in the pan. The flavor is nutty and strong (perfect for dessert recipes). Golden butter sauce cooks for less time, is more “honey” colored, but is still deeply flavorful. It’s very versatile. Have a look at the picture above for visual reference.

Butter and sage pasta sauce ingredients: Green plate with sage leaves on top, and a stick of butter cut into pats. — Butter and sage pasta sauce ingredients

Ingredients You Will Need

Salted butter
Fresh sage leaves

How to Make Butter and Sage Pasta Sauce

In a sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once it becomes foamy, add the fresh sage leaves. Continue to cook until the spotty milk solids subside, the leaves crisp slightly, and the sauce becomes golden in color (not yet brown).

A Few Tips:

Use Salted Butter (optional): I don’t always use salted butter in my pasta sauce recipes because it really depends on the specific dish. However, for a simple pasta or ravioli dish, I’ll make an exception. I like Kerry Gold salted butter- it’s rich, creamy and perfectly salted.
Dress it Up: a splash of lemon juice will brighten the flavor of this sauce; Parmesan cheese is a must if serving with pasta.
Get a Sage Plant: if you cook with fresh herbs often, this is a practical, cost effective investment. I have fresh sage in my garden and it grows back every year.
Eat The Leaves! Crispy sage leaves are surprisingly tasty.

Can You Freeze Butter & Sage Sauce?

Absolutely. Transfer the semi-cooled sauce into an airtight container; chill for 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost at room temperature. Re-heat to serve. It’s great on fish and steamed artichokes.

This Sauce Pairs Well With:

More Italian Pasta Sauce Recipes To Try!

Butter and sage pasta sauce with fresh, homemade fettuccine pasta. — Fresh homemade pasta with butter and sage sauce

Photography & styling credit: Emilie Raffa & Melina Hammer

Easy Golden Butter and Sage Pasta Sauce

★★★★★ 5 from 1 review

Author: Emilie Raffa
Cook Time: 5
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: Makes enough for 1 lb. of pasta
Category: Pasta Sauce
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Description

This butter and sage pasta sauce is so quick and easy, you hardly need a recipe. The idea is to make is while your fresh pasta or gnocchi cook. All you need is one pan, 2 ingredients and approximately 5 minutes!

Ingredients

For the Sauce

120 g (8 tbsp) salted butter
15 fresh, beautiful fresh sage leaves

To Serve (optional)

(1x) Fresh homemade pasta or Homemade gnocchi
Fresh parmesan cheese
1/2 lemon

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Instructions

For the Sauce: cut the butter into small pats. Add to a skillet and melt over medium heat. Once the butter becomes foamy, add the fresh sage leaves. Continue to cook, stirring gently with a spoon, until the spotty white milk solids subside and the sauce becomes “honey” golden in color (not yet brown). Note: this sauce will change from golden to brown butter in a nano second- do not walk away from the pan! If using lemon, squeeze some in at the end.

To Serve with Pasta: while the pasta cooks, make the sauce (you’ll need a large 12-inch skillet). Using tongs, transfer the pasta into the pan, allowing some of the water to still cling to the pasta. Grate fresh Parmesan cheese on top. Toss the pasta with the sauce, adding more pasta cooking water, as needed, to emulsify the texture. Serve immediately with the crispy sage leaves scattered on top.

To Store: this sauce is best made and served fresh. However, you can any store any leftovers in an airtight container. Chill for 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost at room temperature. Re-heat to serve.

Keywords: butter, sage, pasta sauce, Italian, easy, recipe