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This easy creamy garlic pasta recipe is fast, simple, and delicious! The sauce is ready within the time it takes to boil the pasta, and it’s made with everyday ingredients.
You may also like my Easy Garlic Chicken Pasta or Creamy Garlic Pork Tenderloin next.
Why you’ll love it
When you want comfort food quickly, this pasta with a creamy garlic sauce does the trick. It’s kind of like a no frills, Alfredo-inspired dish that uses a few fridge and pantry staples. Garlic, freshly grated parmesan, and a little cream combine to make one tasty sauce!
You can either enjoy it as a main, for late-night cravings, or as a cozy and filling side dish that tastes restaurant quality. This garlic pasta is super comforting and kid friendly, and one lovely reader says it’s “so simple yet one of the best dishes I’ve ever made!”
What you’ll need
- Pasta – I like a longer shape like linguini, but anything works. Penne would be great.
- Butter and flour – they combine to make a quick roux to thicken the sauce
- Garlic – the savory star of the sauce
- Chicken broth – it adds more depth of flavor. Use vegetable broth to make this vegetarian.
- Heavy cream – you can’t beat the silky texture and delicious flavor of real cream
- Parmesan – for a cheesy touch. Grate your own!
- Parsley – it’s optional but highly recommended for freshness and contrast to liven up this creamy pasta
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Effortlessly mince the garlic (no peeling needed) with a garlic press, and this butter dish has handy measurement markings on it.
- This is the skillet pictured. I love cast iron! And I always use fresh parm and grate it with a Microplane.
- Store uncooked pasta in one of these airtight pantry containers for freshness.
How to make creamy garlic pasta
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Boil the pasta. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet. Add in the flour, and stir or whisk for a couple of minutes. Stir in the garlic and broth until fragrant. Whisk in the cream.
Let it reduce until it’s thickened up. Stir in the parmesan, give it a taste, and season with salt & pepper. Drain the pasta, and toss. Garnish with fresh parsley and extra parm if desired.
Substitutions and variations
- I don’t recommend subbing the cream for anything with a lower fat content. It could curdle, will be thinner, and the taste and texture won’t be as intended.
- I like this pasta as-is, but it’s a great blank canvas for adding in cooked chicken or another protein like my Oven Cooked Bacon.
- You could even add some veggies (try a handful of peas, or stir in some spinach at the end) if you wanted to.
What to serve with creamy garlic pasta
- It makes a fantastic meatless main. Pair it with fresh crusty bread or Cheesy Garlic Bread and a side salad like my Parmesan Arugula Salad, or try spring mix with this Creamy Pesto Dressing or Homemade Olive Garden Dressing.
- As a side dish, this pasta goes great with my Baked Pork Chops, Easy Baked Chicken Breast, or Easy Meatloaf recipe.
Leftovers and storage
- I like it best fresh, but store leftovers of this garlic pasta for 3-4 days in the fridge.
- Reheat slowly over a low heat (or the sauce may separate). Add a splash of cream if needed if the sauce dries out.
- I don’t recommend freezing creamy sauces.
If you made this garlic parmesan pasta recipe, please leave a star rating and review below! You can also let me know on Instagram if you made this or any S&L recipe.
Creamy Garlic Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta I used linguine
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon flour
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley optional, to taste
Instructions
- Boil a salted pot of water for the pasta. Cook it al dente according to package directions.
- When the pasta isn't far from being cooked, it's time to start the sauce. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour and let the roux cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often.
- Stir in the garlic and chicken broth and let it simmer for about a minute.
- Stir/whisk in the cream and let the sauce cook for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's thickened to your liking.
- Stir in the parmesan cheese and season with salt & pepper as needed.
- Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce until well coated (add a little pasta water if you wish to thin the sauce a bit). Serve immediately with parsley and extra parm if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This recipe was originally published on July 14, 2018. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
I’m thinking of trying this with shrimp. Do you think the shrimp would cook enough in the sauce or should I partially cook them first? Thank you.
Hi! I think if you add them in step 4 it should give them enough time to cook. Let me know how it goes! 🙂
My teen daughter found and made it – so delicious! Keeping this recipe for sure. Will try with seafood next time.Thank you!
You’re very welcome!! So glad it was a hit! 🙂
Wow this is the first time I have found a recipe with a slider. What a great idea!!! The pasta was delicious too!
I’m so glad you found it helpful and enjoyed the recipe, Gail! 🙂
I made this .so good
So good to hear, Tanya! 🙂
can you wait a few hours before serving the sauce?
Hi! So, typically cream sauces don’t always keep/reheat that well. If you’re planning this for a party or guests, you may want to do a test run to see how it goes. You’d want to warm it up over a low heat so it doesn’t separate.
Wow my family loved this! Its my first time cooking this and Yum! (Can you please add like a 2 times (8 servings) and 3 times (12 servings) cause I have a bigger family.
I’m so glad you liked it! Actually if you look in the recipe card where it shows servings, you can adjust it with the slider. 🙂
Oh i didn’t see that sorry. it was still really good
No worries! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
I really enjoy the simple meal, I was not feeling too well and I didn’t want to Cork but at the same time I didn’t wanna have a takeout. I’m trying to start a diet or lifestyle change . I have a question to ask could you also put alternatives i.e. cream for Greek yoghurt or quark etc to eat those who are on a weight loss journey or lactose intolerant. I thoroughly did enjoy doing this with the alternatives I will give you plus plus
Hi! I use the higher fat dairy products for recipes like these because the results are better (taste, texture, and heavy cream doesn’t curdle as easily). You can definitely do some experimenting, but unfortunately creamy sauces just don’t tend to work as well with the lower fat alternatives.
Do you double the recipe if using 16oz of pasta instead of 8oz ?
I would say that’s probably a good idea if you want lots of sauce 🙂
Beautiful, I fancied creamy garlic pasta and came across this recipe. Very easy and tasted gorgeous. Big thumbs up from mom & myself 🙂
Wonderful! Thank you Dee!
Made this for the first time recently and really enjoyed it. Full of flavour and very easy and quick to make!
That’s awesome! Thanks for letting me know, Kate!
Hi Natasha, this was absolutely delicious. Thank you. Will become a regular on our menu with the chicken I baked. Julia
Yay!! So glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Natasha ! Loved the recipe and it turned out to be delicious. Extremely simple and tasty! Thanks for sharing. Dina
I’m so happy you like it, Dina 🙂