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–+ servings
cream cheese pasta close-up in a white bowl
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4.78 from 18 votes

Cream Cheese Pasta Sauce

This cream cheese pasta sauce is super simple, fast, and great for when you don't have many ingredients in your fridge! Ready in about 20 minutes.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cream cheese pasta recipe, cream cheese pasta sauce
Servings: 4
Author: Natasha Bull

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces uncooked pasta
  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1 tablespoon butter softened
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
  • 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley optional, or to taste
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Boil a pot of water for the pasta and cook it al dente according to package directions. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the hot pasta water.
  • Meanwhile, cut the cream cheese into smaller pieces and microwave it until very soft (try 20-30 second intervals). Prep all ingredients so they're ready to go as soon as the pasta is cooked.
  • Return the drained pasta to the pot it was cooked in, and quickly add the cream cheese and butter. Cover the pot and let it sit for about a minute (this helps it soften up more).
  • Uncover the pot and add in the garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and parsley.
  • Add about 1/4 cup of the hot pasta water to the pot, and start tossing it, gradually adding more of the water until the cheese has melted into a creamy sauce. You may not use up the entire cup of water.
  • Season with salt & pepper to taste and serve. This pasta is best enjoyed right away.

Notes

  • Serves 2-4 depending on portion size/what else it's served with.
  • This recipe is very flexible. You can adjust the herbs/spices to taste or even add in others like Cajun seasoning, for example. Use what you've got... this is meant to be an easy pantry ingredients recipe. Some freshly grated parmesan would be delicious in here... I'd add 1/4-1/2 cup at the same time as the cream cheese and butter.

Nutrition

Calories: 433kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 215mg | Potassium: 224mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1009IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 1mg