15-Minute Browned Butter and Mizithra Cheese Pasta Recipe

It’s been a while since I’ve tried one of Old Spaghetti Factory’s famous pasta dishes. It’s the one where they combined Mizithra cheese and browned butter with spaghetti noodles. Honestly, this Old Spaghetti Factory pasta dish was so delicious that I wanted to try recreating it at home. It’s more convenient and cheaper than going out and buying it. And, of course, making homemade pasta recipes are my forte so why not take the challenge?

As it turns out, this Mizithra pasta only has 3 basic ingredients: Mizithra cheese, butter, and pasta (either spaghetti or fettuccine). The best part is the Mizithra cheese! I bought mine from the Old Spaghetti Factory. If your local grocery store has one, then you can purchase from there. Mizithra cheese or myzithra is Greek cheese. It’s a combination of whey and milk gathered from sheep or goats. It can be sold as fresh, soft cheese or salt-dried cheese perfect for grating. Without the salt, its general taste is almost sweet and milky.

For this recipe, I needed the salt-dried one as cheese topping for this copycat pasta recipe. Remember that the Mizithra cheese is the highlight of this recipe so it’s best if you really buy some. But, if you’re unable to find one, a good quality Romano cheese or parmesan cheese can be used as substitutes. Although it won’t be a copycat recipe anymore, the rich and savory flavors are still there.

Another wonderful cheese tip is also mixing in Romano cheese with the Mizithra. The Old Spaghetti Factory uses this cheese blend, and it’s easily found in many grocery stores. That’s why I recommend it as a substitute for Mizithra cheese so if you want a more authentic taste, feel free to add it in.

After purchasing the Mizithra cheese, I was ready to get cooking. This has to be one of the easiest pasta recipes I ever made. I cooked the pasta accordingly and then made my own browned butter sauce. It’s really easy to make it. I made some recipe notes to help you with the process if you’re having a hard time. It’s basically just waiting for the butter to melt and turn into a shade of caramel. You have to really wait for that brown color before you pour it over your pasta.

I made all of this in just 20 minutes, and I shared it with my family. I added a bit of fresh cracked pepper and parsley as garnish. I really wanted to give the dish a bit of a fancy finish. It’s the perfect lunch or dinner recipe to enjoy alongside delicious side dishes like homemade garlic bread.