Ever have one of those nights where you’re craving something indulgent and restaurant quality, but you only have 20 minutes and a handful of basic ingredients? Meet your new best friend: this incredibly Creamy Garlic Pasta. We’re not talking about a jarred sauce here. This is a from scratch, luxuriously smooth sauce infused with the flavor of gently cooked garlic, all wrapped around your favorite pasta. It’s the ultimate quick comfort food that feels gourmet but is deceptively simple to make.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Blazing Fast: From pot to plate in just 20 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
- Insanely Creamy: A simple technique creates a velvety, rich sauce that clings to every strand of pasta.
- Pantry Staples: You probably have most of these ingredients in your kitchen right now!
- Infinitely Customizable: Add grilled chicken, shrimp, or sun dried tomatoes to make it your own.
Ingredients for Creamy Garlic Pasta
- 10 oz tagliatelle or fettuccine (any long pasta works!)
- 1 ½ tablespoons salted butter
- 6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ¾ cup chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (about 25 twists of a mill)
- ½ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- Salt, to taste
Instructions for Making Creamy Garlic Pasta
1Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta according to the package directions until al dente. CRUCIAL STEP: Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. This liquid gold is the key to a perfectly silky sauce.
2Build the Garlic Base: While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once it’s foaming, add the chopped garlic and the black pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant and lightly golden. Be careful not to burn it!
3Create the Sauce: Sprinkle the flour over the garlic butter and stir constantly for about 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. This creates a “roux,” which will thicken our sauce.
Gradually whisk in the chicken stock, making sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Whisk until the mixture is completely smooth.
Pour in the heavy cream and add ¾ cup of the grated Parmesan cheese. Stir continuously until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth and thickened. Season with a pinch of salt to taste.
4Bring It All Together: Transfer the drained pasta directly from the pot into the skillet with the sauce. Add a big splash (about ¼ cup) of the reserved pasta water.
Use tongs to toss everything together vigorously. The starch in the pasta water will help the sauce become glossy and cling to every strand. If the sauce is too thick, add another splash of pasta water until it’s perfectly creamy and luxurious.
5Serve Immediately: Divide the pasta among bowls and top with the remaining Parmesan cheese and the fresh chopped parsley. Serve right away while it’s hot and creamy!
20 Minute Creamy Garlic Pasta
Ingredients
- 10 oz tagliatelle or fettuccine
- 1 ½ tablespoons salted butter
- 6 large garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ¾ cup chicken stock
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese divided
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley roughly chopped
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and pepper; cook for 4-5 minutes until fragrant and light golden.
- Sprinkle flour over garlic and stir for 1 minute to form a paste.
- Gradually whisk in chicken stock until smooth. Whisk in heavy cream and ¾ cup of Parmesan cheese until melted and sauce thickens.
- Add drained pasta to the skillet with ¼ cup of reserved pasta water. Toss until pasta is coated and sauce is glossy. Add more pasta water if needed.
- Serve immediately topped with remaining Parmesan and fresh parsley.
Notes
- Pasta Water is Key: Don't forget to save it! The starchy water is essential for creating a silky, restaurant quality sauce that clings to the pasta.
- Freshly Grated Parmesan: For the best meltability and flavor, grate your own Parmesan cheese. Pre shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy.
- Add Protein: Stir in cooked shredded chicken, sautéed shrimp, or crumbled bacon for a heartier meal.
