Brown Butter Sauce

Name: Brown Butter Sauce
Yield: makes 1/2 cup; serves 4 over a pound of pasta as a first course
Ingredients: 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter; 6 fresh sage leaves (torn into pieces) or 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves; 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste; Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg; 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

December 9, 2011

This is the easiest sauce you will ever make and a very tasty one, but then what doesn’t taste good when it’s drenched in butter? This is the perfect topping for stuffed pastas like ravioli, tortellini, and agnolloti.

Cooks' Note

The sage leaves are more traditional in this sauce, but I love the basil also. If neither of these herbs works for you, feel free to substitute your favorite herb.

Recipe notes

Caramelized Onion Pasta

Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

Béchamel Sauce

This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.

Okonomiyaki Tater Tots

Crispy tots topped with savory-sweet sauce, mayonnaise, furikake, scallion, and katsuobushi.

Butternut Squash–Kale Salad With Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.

Sheet-Pan Chicken Souvlaki

Tender, juicy chicken skewers are possible in the oven—especially when roasted alongside spiced chickpeas and finished with fresh tomatoes and salty feta.

Mascarpone Cheesecake

An extra-silky filling (no water bath needed!) and a smooth sour cream topping make this the ultimate cheesecake.

Crispy Salmon With Avocado Sauce

You’ll want to put this creamy (but dairy-free) green sauce on everything and it’s particularly sublime under crispy-skinned salmon.