Description
This easy creamy garlic pasta features perfectly cooked pasta tossed in a luscious, restaurant-quality garlic cream sauce. Ready in just 20 minutes with simple ingredients, it’s the ultimate weeknight dinner that tastes like you spent hours cooking. Customize with your favorite protein or vegetables for endless variations!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound pasta (fettuccine, linguine, or spaghetti)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more for pasta water)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/4 cup reserved pasta water (or more as needed)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- Extra Parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add 1-2 tablespoons of salt—the water should taste like the ocean. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente (usually 8-10 minutes). Before draining, reserve 1-2 cups of the starchy pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Start the sauce. While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted and begins to foam slightly, add the minced garlic. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and just beginning to turn golden. Don’t let it brown or it will taste bitter.
- Add the cream. Pour the heavy cream into the skillet with the garlic butter. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer (small bubbles around the edges), then reduce heat to medium-low. Let it simmer gently for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. The cream will reduce slightly and thicken a bit.
- Add cheese and seasonings. Remove the skillet from heat. Add the freshly grated Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir vigorously until the cheese melts completely and the sauce is smooth and creamy. The residual heat is enough to melt the cheese—keeping it off direct heat prevents the cheese from becoming grainy.
- Combine pasta and sauce. Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Using tongs or a pasta fork, toss everything together, lifting and turning the pasta to coat every strand in the creamy sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, add reserved pasta water 2-3 tablespoons at a time, tossing between additions, until you reach your desired consistency. The pasta water’s starch helps the sauce cling beautifully to the pasta.
- Add fresh herbs. Toss in the chopped fresh parsley and give everything one final toss to distribute evenly.
- Taste and adjust. Take a bite and adjust seasoning if needed. Add more salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavors.
- Serve immediately. Transfer the creamy garlic pasta to serving bowls or plates. Top with additional grated Parmesan cheese, a crack of fresh black pepper, and extra parsley if desired. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
- Pasta Water is Key: Don’t skip reserving pasta water! Its starch helps create a silky, clingy sauce. Add it gradually—you can always add more but can’t take it away.
- Room Temperature Cheese: Let your Parmesan come to room temperature before adding. Cold cheese can cause the sauce to seize and become grainy.
- Don’t Overcook Garlic: Watch your garlic carefully. It should be fragrant and golden, never brown, which turns bitter.
- Work Quickly: Once the pasta is drained, work quickly to combine with sauce so the pasta stays hot and absorbs the sauce better.
- Fresh Parmesan Only: Pre-grated cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting. Always grate your own from a block.
- Adjust Consistency: The sauce will thicken as it sits. Add more pasta water when reheating or if serving family-style.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (about 2 cups)
- Calories: 685
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 585mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 23g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 115mg