Our version of The Old Spaghetti Factory’s Mizithra Pasta is AMAZING. It is a rich and buttery dish that your whole family will love.
Mizithra Pasta
I loved going to The Old Spaghetti Factory as a kid. I loved sitting in the streetcar and getting spumoni ice cream with every meal. The absolute best part of the experience, though, was the Mizithra Pasta. It was buttery and cheesy and I licked the plate clean every time. I love when we can nail down a favorite dish from one of our favorite places. This recipe is very simple – only 3 ingredients – but it is sure to please any dinner crowd.
What is Mizithra Cheese?
Mizithra (sometimes spelled Myzithra) cheese is a Greek cheese made from goat’s and sheep’s milk. When it is first made, it resembles ricotta cheese, but then it can be salt-dried into a harder cheese. This harder type of Mizithra cheese is considered Greek cuisine’s parmesan cheese and is most commonly used to sprinkle over fresh pasta. The salt drying process gives it a salty flavor that adds so much to this dish!
Where to Find Mizithra Cheese
Finding Mizithra cheese can be a little tricky. I usually have to look in the deli section of the grocery store in their “fancy” cheese display. It can be spelled Mizithra or Myzithra. Most stores sell it by the pound and offer different sized blocks that you can choose from. It is a little pricier of a cheese, but I promise it is so worth it!!
What is Brown Butter?
You might be thinking “What is brown butter? I’ve never seen that at the store,” and you’re right! Brown butter is made by cooking regular butter until it turns a lovely brown color. Cooking the butter gives it this incredibly deep flavor that goes well with savory dishes, like this Mizithra Pasta, but also sweet dishes like our Brown Butter Pecan Pie!
How to Make Brown Butter
The most important thing to remember when making brown butter is to cook it over medium heat. You don’t want it to burn!! Start with a light colored pan, so you can see the color of the butter easier. Once the butter melts and gets hot, it will start to foam. I like to pick up the pan and swirl it around a little to help me see the color through the foam. Once the butter turns a deep golden brown, and you start to smell a little bit of a nutty smell – it is ready! Transfer it to a heat-safe dish and let the milk particles sink to the bottom while it cools. Then transfer it to a different bowl, trying to leave most of the solid particles behind. You can also strain it through a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer.
How to Make Mizithra Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 ounces spaghetti noodles
- 1 cup butter (no substitutes)
- 6 ounces Mizithra cheese finely grated
- fresh basil as an optional garnish
Instructions
- Cook pasta in a large pot of salted, boiling water until al dente. Drain.
- While pasta is cooking, start slowly melting butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until golden brown. The butter will foam up and rise, but just keep stirring until it turns brown.
- Remove pan from heat and pour melted butter into a tempered glass bowl or measuring bowl. Allow the sediment to settle at the bottom of the bowl for a few minutes.
- Do not stir up the sediments in the pan, you want the clear butter separated from the sediment at the bottom.
- Pour the browned butter into a separate bowl, again, keeping the butter separated from the sediment.
- Toss the pasta with the butter when it is ready.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of Mizithra cheese. Stir the remaining cheese into the butter coated pasta.
- Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Garnish with sliced fresh basil (optional).
- Serve immediately.
Abby says
I can’t believe you love this too! I used to go to Old Spagetti factory all the time just for this! Then take it home and read Homers Odyssey.
Eli & Mandy says
I just wanted to let you know that this is one of my favorite dishes at OSF! I made it last night for dinner and it was WAY good. My husband loved it as well. Thanks!
Eli & Mandy says
I just wanted to let you know that this is one of my favorite dishes at OSF! I made it last night for dinner and it was WAY good. My husband loved it as well. Thanks!
Erica says
Thanks! I love it too. Now if I can just create Spumoni…. haha
Heather says
Thank you so much! My husband and I LOVE LOVE LOVE this…and now we can make it ourselves. (And we have already – 2 times). Your recipe is right on. Thanks.
Gourmified says
Where do you find mizithra cheese, though? That's where I'm stumped.
Lisa
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Leslie Edwards says
I found some at Fred Meyers.
K Miller says
You can buy it IN BAGS FROM OSF, or at COSTCO sometimes.
Fran Roberts says
Safeway stores carry it. The Spaghetti Factory restaurant now carries it for sale. We bought a 5 oz. package for $5.00 when we were there for lunch the other day.
Shirley Burkenbine says
Order fromcheese from Amazon. I looked everywhere and couldn’t find it.s
Nancy says
I bought some at the Old Spaghetti Factory – a 5 oz. tub!
Cheese Meister says
I found the Old Spaghetti Factory brand cheese at Sprouts, so if you’re lucky you can find the exact stuff they use.
Erica says
It's kind of hard to find. We found ours in our local grocery store next to the specialty cheeses.. you might have to look around a bit to find a store that carries it
Chelsea says
Hi Erica!
I've been spending the paste hour looking through your blog and LOVING so many recipes you have here! I'm so excited to start trying some of them.
I was wondering if have made a spaghetti sauce that tastes like the Rich Meat Sauce from OSF! I love that place!!!! (chelstep28 at yahoo dot com)
Thank you so much for your time! 🙂
Chelsea
Kim says
I can’t wait to make this. I found mizithra at Pike’s Market in Seattle. But…. How much is a cube of butter? Reply ASAP.
Thank you in advance.
Erica says
1 cube = 1 stick = 1/2 cup hope this helps!
Taunya says
Oh my goodness! My all time fave! It’s what’s for dinner tomorrow for sure!!! Yippee
Tammy P. says
Oh, I used to work at The Old Spaghetti Factory back in the 80’s and previously had never heard of Mizithra…I even had to help my customers pronounce it. However, this became my favorite dish along w/ added meat sauce. I surely will have to give this recipe a try!
Melissa Foust says
I am going to feature your recipe on my blog, I hope that’s okay? I will link them back to this page. This is my favorite all time dish and you nailed it! Thanks! https://themissylife.wordpress.com/
Patrick P. says
While I’m browning the butter, I like to add some finely chopped garlic, a little freshly ground black pepper, and some finely shredded Mizithra (this will give you a little bit of crunchy taste of the Mizithra). Then pour the browned butter over your pasta on each individual plate, grate some more Mizithra over the pasta using the larger holes in the grater, sprinkle some chopped parsley on top and enjoy.
Erica says
Great suggestions! Thank you!!
Sydney says
We love browned butter EVERYTHING in our home. This pasta tastes delightful the way you have it – but you really should try pulling those yummy bits of carmelized milk fats up from the bottom of the pan. It will blow your mind! We eat the WHOLE entire butter after browning. Delicious!
Steve in Detroit says
Me too! Its awesome! I am lucky enough to find Mizithra here, and also at my other home in Clearwater, but fo those who can’t find it, freshly grated parm or romano is a good substitute.. Very similar in flavor. (never use the stuff in the green can, it doesn’t work)..
Marsha says
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
Erica says
salted 😉
Pamela says
When I cook my mizithri I always add fresh mushrooms and cooked chopped bacon. Its absolutely delicious!
Echo says
Great idea! Thanks!
Janet says
My sister and I just now finished having this awesome dish for dinner. I found the OSF mitzra cheese at Sprouts. Yum.
Shannon says
Help…I love this recipe but have never done browned butter before. I think I’m misunderstanding a step. When the butter is seperated into the clear liquid and the solids, do you pour just the liquid on the pasta or all of it? And if just the liquid, how do keep the heavier parts from going onto the pasta too when you pour?
Favorite Family Recipes says
When you brown butter you want to stir it constantly– You don’t want it to separate into liquids and solids. It should be stirred together and all brown. Keep an eye on it though because it can go from brown to burnt quickly!
Kristi G says
Spaghetti Factory will sell you some.
Dawn Conklin says
I have never heard of The Old Spaghetti Factory, tho it sounds like an amazing place to go! This looks delicious and simple, will have to try it one day soon. I never heard of mizithra cheese either, but I am sure I can find it somewhere – hoping at least!
Erica Walker says
If you find a store that has a decent cheese selection, Mizithra is usually pretty easy to find. Let us know how you like it!