Creamy Pasta Garlic Parmesan (Printable Version)
Tender pasta enveloped in a smooth, garlicky Parmesan sauce with fresh parsley highlights.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz dried fettuccine or penne
→ Cream Sauce
02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
04 - 1 cup heavy cream
05 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - ¼ cup milk
07 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
08 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
09 - Pinch ground nutmeg (optional)
→ Garnish
10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
11 - Extra Parmesan cheese for serving
# How to Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - While the pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, avoiding browning.
03 - Pour heavy cream and milk into the skillet. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer while stirring continuously.
04 - Stir in grated Parmesan, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and nutmeg if using. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
05 - Add the drained pasta to the sauce, tossing well to coat. If the sauce is too thick, loosen it by adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until desired consistency is achieved.
06 - Remove from heat. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and additional Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Ready in thirty minutes but tastes like you've been stirring a pot all afternoon.
- No fancy techniques or intimidating steps—just butter, cream, and patience doing the work for you.
- Converts even the pickiest eaters into believers because, honestly, who can resist silky Parmesan sauce?
02 -
- Never let cream boil hard or it can split and curdle—keep the heat at a gentle simmer and stir often.
- Add Parmesan slowly and keep stirring, or it'll clump instead of melting into the sauce smoothly.
03 -
- For a lighter version that still feels indulgent, swap half the heavy cream for half-and-half or even whole milk, though the sauce won't be quite as luxurious.
- If you're serving this to guests, finishing it with fresh-cracked black pepper and a drizzle of truffle oil takes it from weeknight dinner to something that feels intentional.