Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta recipe

This Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta is a comforting and incredibly quick dish, perfect for a busy weeknight. It features al dente pasta coated in a rich, velvety sauce infused with plenty of garlic and savory Parmesan cheese.

Servings: 4 Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Total time: 30 minutes Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• For the Pasta:

  1. 340 g (12 oz) linguine, fettuccine, or spaghetti

  2. Salt, for pasta water

• For the Creamy Garlic Parmesan Sauce:

  1. 60 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter

  2. 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil

  3. 6-8 cloves (~25-35 g) garlic, minced

  4. 120 ml (1/2 cup) chicken or vegetable broth

  5. 360 ml (1 1/2 cups) heavy cream (double cream)

  6. 120 g (1 cup) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

  7. 5 ml (1 tsp) salt, or to taste

  8. 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

  9. 15 g (2 tbsp) fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Equipment

• Large pot

• Large skillet or deep frying pan

• Whisk

• Cheese grater

Instructions

1. Cook the Pasta (10-12 minutes): Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about 240 ml (1 cup) of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.

2. Sauté the Garlic (1-2 minutes): While the pasta cooks, melt the butter and olive oil in a large skillet or deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to brown it, as it can become bitter.

3. Build the Sauce Base (3-4 minutes): Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth and bring it to a gentle simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the heavy cream and bring the mixture back to a gentle simmer.

4. Add the Cheese (2-3 minutes): Reduce the heat to low. Gradually whisk in the grated Parmesan cheese until it's fully melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.

5. Combine Pasta and Sauce (1-2 minutes): Add the drained pasta directly to the skillet with the sauce. Toss gently to coat all the pasta evenly.

6. Serve and Garnish (1 minute): Serve immediately, garnished with extra grated Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley.

Tips & Variations

• Use Freshly Grated Parmesan: For the best flavor and texture, always use a block of Parmesan cheese and grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese often contains anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy.

• Don't Overcook the Cream: Keep the heat low to medium-low when adding the cream and cheese. High heat can cause the cream to separate or the cheese to clump.

• Reserve Pasta Water: The starchy pasta water is your secret weapon! It helps emulsify the sauce, making it extra silky and helping it cling to the pasta.

• Add Protein: Sautéed chicken breast, shrimp, or even crispy bacon bits make excellent additions to this pasta. Cook them separately and stir them in at the end.

• Make it Spicy: For a kick, add 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) of red pepper flakes along with the garlic in step 2.

• Vegetarian Option: Simply use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to make this dish vegetarian.

Estimated Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: ~650 kcal

• Protein: ~25 g

• Carbohydrates: ~55 g

• Fat: ~35 g

Shopping List

• Linguine (or similar pasta)

• Unsalted butter

• Olive oil

• Garlic

• Chicken or vegetable broth

• Heavy cream

• Parmesan cheese

• Fresh parsley

• Salt

• Black pepper

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Quick summary: Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta (30 min, Easy) - Pasta in rich garlic-Parmesan sauce.