Mizithra Browned Butter Pasta

A recipe for Mizithra Browned Butter Pasta! Al dente pasta is coated with flecks of brown butter, freshly grated cheese, and black pepper for a quick and easy meal.

I first came across the inspiration for this Mizithra Browned Butter Pasta over on Life’s Ambrosia a few years ago while looking for ways to use some Mizithra I had on hand. Hers is a copycat version based on the pasta from The Old Spaghetti Factory.

I have never been to The Old Spaghetti Factory, but I absolutely loved the flavors and continue to make the pasta whenever I come across Mizithra. It has just a little prep and comes together quickly, in less than 30 minutes.

Start by boiling the pasta in salted water until just tender. Drain (save 1/4 cup, 60 milliliters of the pasta water first!), then toss with garlic-infused browned butter, plenty of freshly grated Mizithra and Pecorino Romano, and salt and black pepper to taste.

Serve the pasta immediately for an easy lunch or side with a sprinkling of freshly chopped parsley and more grated cheese.

Mizithra

Mizithra (μυζήθρα) is a Greek cheese created from the whey of sheep and/or goat milk. The flavor and texture varies based on the stage in the aging process.

Fresh Mizithra is mild, creamy, and similar in texture to fresh ricotta. Xynomizithra is rubbed with salt and aged to develop a more sour flavor.

Dried Mizithra has been aged until it becomes a hard, compressed ball with a crumbly texture. This type grates well and is what I used for the Mizithra Browned Butter Pasta. I also often use it as a garnish for Makaronia Me Kima (Greek Spaghetti with Meat Sauce) and Domatosoupa Me Kritharaki (Greek Tomato Soup with Orzo).

Mizithra can be located in the cheese section of some larger American grocery stores and markets with Greek/Mediterranean ingredients. For those in Northern Virginia, I came across it at the Whole Foods in McLean.

If the cheese is not available, simply swap for more Pecorino Romano or Parmesan.

Browned Butter

Along with the Mizithra, the star of this dish is the brown butter. It takes only a few extra minutes, but adds such a wonderful nutty flavor to the pasta.

Start by melting the butter over medium-low heat in a saucepan. I recommend using a stainless steel pan so you can see the butter change colors as it cooks to avoid it becoming too dark.

As the butter melts, it will start to foam and bubble. This is normal. Continue to swirl the pan or lightly stir until the overall color becomes a light golden with browned flecks throughout. Do not step away from the pan since this happens quickly.

Remove from heat immediately when it gets to this light golden brown stage. Butter will quickly go from golden to burnt. If the butter does burn, discard and start over. The flavor will be too bitter and beyond saving.

I usually brown the butter while the pasta is boiling to save time. You can also wait and brown the butter after draining the pasta to use the same pot and cut down on dishes.

A Few More Mizithra Browned Butter Pasta Tips

I personally love this Mizithra Browned Butter Pasta with bucatini as the base. You can also make it with spaghetti, linguine, or another favorite shape.

Cook the pasta in the salted water just until barely tender, al dente.

If you don’t love garlic, simply omit it. I like to add the minced garlic to the browned butter and let it sit for a minute before tossing everything together to infuse more flavor into every bite.

Adjust the amount of salt and pepper to taste. Remember, there will be a bit of saltiness with the grated Mizithra and Pecorino Romano cheese.

This recipe has enough butter to form a light coating over the pasta. If you really love butter, you can bump the amount up to 3/4 cup (170 grams).

The pasta is delicious as a light meal possibly with a salad or as a side. Sautéed mushrooms, spinach, arugula, or other favorite greens would be wonderful options if you want to add some vegetables. For meat, you can toss in some crisp guanciale, pancetta, or bacon or serve the pasta alongside grilled meat.

This recipe was originally published in June 2013 and updated in September 2024.

Mizithra Browned Butter Pasta Recipe

Adapted from Life’s Ambrosia

Print Pin

Mizithra Browned Butter Pasta

A recipe for Mizithra Browned Butter Pasta! Al dente pasta is coated with flecks of brown butter, freshly grated cheese, and black pepper for a quick and easy meal.

Course Main

Cuisine N/A

Keyword brown butter, butter, cheese, mizithra, pasta, pecorino, spaghetti

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound (450 grams) dried long pasta such as spaghetti, bucatini, or linguine
• 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) reserved pasta water
• 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
• 4 ounces (113 grams) dry Mizithra cheese freshly grated
• 2 ounces (57 grams) Pecorino Romano freshly grated
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Salt to taste
• Fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Add the pasta and cook until just tender, al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) of the pasta water, and set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a small skillet or saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
• Swirl or lightly stir the butter as it melts, starts to foam, and brown flecks form across the bottom of the pan.
• Once the butter becomes lightly golden and fragrant, add the garlic and immediately remove from heat.
• Set aside for 1 minute to allow the garlic to heat through.
• In a medium bowl, toss together the grated Mizithra and Pecorino Romano cheese. Set aside.
• Toss the pasta with the browned butter in the large pot, adding the reserved pasta water as needed to bring everything together in a thin coating.
• Toss in 3/4 of the grated Mizithra and Pecorino Romano mixture, then the black pepper.
• Season with salt to taste.
• Serve immediately with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and the remaining cheese.