This Creamy Garlic Pasta is the weeknight dinner that feels like restaurant luxury. Silky garlic cream sauce coating tender pasta with parmesan and fresh herbs, ready in 20 minutes. Takes about 20 minutes from start to finish. I make this Creamy Garlic Pasta whenever I need something that tastes indulgent but uses simple pantry ingredients everyone already has.
Why You'll Love This Creamy Garlic Pasta Recipe
Real talk, this Creamy Garlic Pasta is one of the easiest simple garlic pasta recipes I've made and my family requests it weekly.
What Actually Works: This Creamy Garlic Pasta recipe cooks pasta until al dente, makes quick garlic cream sauce with butter, garlic, heavy cream, and parmesan, then tosses everything together with fresh parsley. Simple one-pot technique, about 20 minutes total. Comes out with perfectly coated pasta, rich creamy sauce, and that irresistible roasted garlic flavor.
Why Other Methods Fail: Most one pot creamy beef and garlic butter pasta attempts mess up by using too much liquid which makes watery sauce instead of thick and coating. Others add garlic at wrong time so it burns and tastes bitter. Some skip pasta water which prevents sauce from clinging properly to noodles.
The thing that changed everything: Understanding that you need pasta water and proper reduction for Creamy Garlic Pasta success. My first attempt I drained pasta completely without saving any cooking water. The sauce was thick but wouldn't stick to pasta and everything felt separated.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Creamy Garlic Pasta Recipe
- What You'll Need for Creamy Garlic Pasta
- How to Make Creamy Garlic Pasta
- Top Tip
- Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
- Storage and Reuse Instructions
- What to Serve With Creamy Garlic Pasta
- My Creamy Garlic Pasta Journey
- FAQ
- More Recipes You'll Love
- Creamy Garlic Pasta
- Related
- Pairing
What You'll Need for Creamy Garlic Pasta
Basic ingredients you probably already have. This is the easiest sides for pasta main dish you'll make.
For the Pasta
- Linguine or fettuccine
- Salt for pasta water
- Reserved pasta water
For the Creamy Garlic Sauce
- Unsalted butter
- Fresh garlic cloves, minced
- Heavy cream
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and black pepper
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
For Garnish
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Extra parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil
- Lemon zest
Optional Add-Ins
- Grilled chicken for creamy garlic chicken pasta
- Sautéed shrimp
- Cherry tomatoes
- Baby spinach
- Mushrooms
Exact measurements in the Recipe card.
How to Make Creamy Garlic Pasta
This Creamy Garlic Pasta recipe comes together with simple timing and technique. Works perfectly every time.
Step 1: Cook the Pasta
Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente for your one pot creamy garlic noodles base.
Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water before draining. The starchy water helps sauce cling to pasta in easy at home meals preparation.
Step 2: Sauté the Garlic
While pasta cooks, melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant but not brown.
Watch garlic carefully. Burnt garlic tastes bitter and ruins the one pot garlic pasta flavor. Golden and fragrant is perfect.
Step 3: Add the Cream
Pour heavy cream into skillet with garlic and bring to gentle simmer. Let cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened for no meat pasta recipes richness.
The cream reduces and concentrates flavor. Don't rush this step or sauce will be thin in your garlic pasta recipes.
Step 4: Add Cheese and Season
Remove skillet from heat and stir in grated parmesan cheese until melted smooth. Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
The residual heat melts cheese without making it grainy. Off heat is key for creamy pasta dishes success.
Step 5: Combine Pasta and Sauce
Add drained pasta to skillet with sauce. Toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until sauce reaches desired consistency.
The pasta water thins sauce while helping it cling to noodles for garlic butter pasta sauce coating. Start with ¼ cup and add more as needed.
Step 6: Garnish and Serve
Toss in fresh chopped parsley and extra parmesan. Serve immediately while hot for best creamy pasta recipes experience.
The garlic cream sauce pasta tastes best fresh when sauce is silky and coating pasta perfectly.
Top Tip
Save pasta water and don't burn garlic for perfect Creamy Garlic Pasta. Here's what I learned through failures:
- That pasta water technique is what makes this actually work
- Made this mistake twice draining pasta completely without saving any water
- The sauce was thick but wouldn't stick to pasta at all
- Everything felt separated and dry instead of coated
- Had to add regular water which made sauce taste diluted
- Started saving full cup of pasta water before draining
- The starchy water helped sauce cling perfectly to every strand
- Suddenly got restaurant quality cream pasta recipe results
Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
The base Creamy Garlic Pasta is perfect but you can customize it for different needs.
Chicken Addition
Add grilled or sautéed chicken for creamy garlic chicken pasta that's more substantial. Season chicken with Italian herbs for simple pasta recipes variation.
Lighter Version
Use half and half instead of heavy cream for creamy garlic pasta no cheese lighter option. Add Greek yogurt at end for tang and protein.
Tomato Twist
Add halved cherry tomatoes for creamy garlic pasta tomato version with fresh acidity. The tomatoes balance rich cream sauce in simple creamy pasta recipes.
Storage and Reuse Instructions
Yeah, Creamy Garlic Pasta keeps okay for leftovers.
Refrigerator: Store leftover easy creamy pasta recipes covered in fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in skillet with splash of cream or milk to loosen sauce.
Freezing: This garlic cream sauce pasta doesn't freeze well because cream sauce separates when thawed. Best enjoyed fresh or within 3 days refrigerated.
Make Ahead: Cook pasta and make sauce separately, store both refrigerated up to 1 day. Combine and reheat when ready for best creamy pasta recipes quality.
Serving: Serve this creamy garlic pasta sauce immediately while hot. The sauce is silkiest and most flavorful straight from the pan.
What to Serve With Creamy Garlic Pasta
This Creamy Garlic Pasta is substantial enough as main but pairs well with simple sides.
Protein Options: Serve simple garlic pasta with grilled chicken, seared shrimp, or pan-seared salmon. The protein makes it complete meal without competing with garlic cream sauce.
Vegetable Sides: Roasted broccoli, sautéed spinach, or Caesar salad balance the all recipes creamy garlic pasta richness. The vegetables add freshness and color.
Bread Pairing: Crusty garlic bread or focaccia soaks up extra easy creamy garlic pasta sauce perfectly. The bread makes it feel more substantial.
My Creamy Garlic Pasta Journey
First time I made Creamy Garlic Pasta I drained pasta completely without saving any cooking water because I didn't know it mattered. The sauce was thick but wouldn't stick to pasta.
Everything felt separated and dry with pools of sauce at bottom of bowl instead of coating noodles. My family ate it but nobody was impressed.
Tried again after saving full cup of starchy pasta water before draining. Suddenly the sauce clung to every strand perfectly creating that restaurant coating. The transformation was incredible.
Then I cooked garlic too long trying to get it extra flavorful. It turned dark brown and tasted bitter instead of sweet and aromatic. Started pulling garlic at golden fragrant stage and flavor was perfect.
Now I make this Creamy Garlic Pasta twice a week for easy family dinner. Saved pasta water, proper garlic timing, good quality cream, and immediate serving create perfection.
Similar Easy Pasta Recipes Worth Making
Garlic Chicken Pasta: Adds seasoned chicken breast to base recipe for garlic chicken pasta that's heartier main dish.
Garlic Butter Pasta: Simplifies to just butter and garlic for garlic butter pasta sauce that's even quicker weeknight option.
Cream Pasta Recipe: Explores different cream-based sauces for cream pasta recipe variety using same basic technique.
These best creamy pasta recipes variations all use similar techniques to Creamy Garlic Pasta, so once you master this recipe the others become straightforward.
FAQ
How to make creamy garlic pasta sauce?
Make Creamy Garlic Pasta sauce by melting butter, sautéing minced garlic until fragrant, adding heavy cream and simmering until slightly thickened, then stirring in grated parmesan off heat. The creamy garlic pasta recipe creates silky sauce in under 10 minutes. Add reserved pasta water to thin sauce and help it cling to noodles.
How to make creamy garlic chicken pasta?
Make creamy garlic chicken pasta by seasoning chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and Italian herbs, cooking until golden, then slicing and adding to Creamy Garlic Pasta. The creamy garlic chicken pasta combines protein with rich sauce. You can also shred rotisserie chicken for quicker creamy garlic pasta with chicken version.
Is garlic cream sauce the same as alfredo?
Garlic cream sauce is similar to alfredo but focuses more on garlic flavor while alfredo emphasizes butter and cheese. Creamy Garlic Pasta uses heavy cream, butter, and parmesan like alfredo but with much more garlic. The creamy garlic pasta sauce is lighter and more garlicky than traditional alfredo which is richer and cheesier.
What can I add to my pasta to make it creamier?
Make Creamy Garlic Pasta creamier by adding more heavy cream, cream cheese, mascarpone, or extra parmesan cheese. The creamy garlic pasta recipe also benefits from reserved pasta water which creates silky coating. Butter added at end makes one pot creamy garlic butter pasta even richer and more velvety.
More Recipes You'll Love
Once you've nailed this Creamy Garlic Pasta, try my Garlic Butter Steak Bites and Potatoes for tender steak and crispy potatoes in garlic butter. My Cannoli Squares make easy Italian dessert with creamy ricotta filling. And my Fluffy Belgian Waffles create impressive breakfast with light airy texture that everyone devours.
Creamy Garlic Pasta
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Bring large pot of salted water to boil, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente, reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
- While pasta cooks, melt butter in large skillet over medium heat, add minced garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant but not brown.
- Pour heavy cream into skillet with garlic, bring to gentle simmer and cook 3 to 4 minutes stirring occasionally until slightly thickened.
- Remove skillet from heat, stir in grated parmesan cheese until melted smooth, season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Add drained pasta to skillet with sauce, toss together adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until sauce reaches desired consistency coating pasta.
- Toss in fresh chopped parsley and extra parmesan, serve immediately while hot garnished with lemon zest if desired.
Nutrition
Notes
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Creamy Garlic Pasta:
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