Creamy garlic pasta is so garlicky and so creamy; it’ll soon become your favorite. Pasta is cooked with lots of fresh garlic, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning, in 20 minutes you’ll have a delicious, hearty, creamy, rich pasta dish ready.
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Why you’ll love creamy garlic pasta recipe
A simple dish that is hearty, cheesy, and loads of fresh garlic flavor.
In 20 minutes the dish is ready. Bring a pot of water to boil, meanwhile, make the sauce in another pan, cook pasta, and drain it directly into the creamy rich sauce.
This dish can be served as a side dish or as a main.
It’s really easy to make this recipe using pantry staples.
The sauce is incredible; you’ll fall in love with the velvety rich cheesy sauce.
For a cozy night dinner, this restaurant’s quality creamy garlic pasta will leave you satiated.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need-
- Pasta
- Olive oil
- Butter
- White onion
- Garlic
- Flour
- Heavy whipping cream
- Chicken stock
- Salt & pepper
- Italian seasoning
- Red pepper flakes
- Parmesan
- Parsley
All ingredients exact measurements are mentioned in recipe card below.
Pasta – any pasta will work, ideally it’s best to choose ones that have the shape to hold onto the sauce. Pasta shapes like penne, rotini, fusilli, or shells are great, you can also use spaghetti or fettuccini pasta.
Garlic – you’ll need loads of it. I used 6 large garlic cloves for 1-pound pasta. Fresh garlic makes a whole lot of difference in taste; highly recommend you use fresh garlic. If you want to use garlic powder, use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder for every 1 tablespoon of fresh minced garlic.
Onion – for aroma and taste. Use white or yellow onion finely diced.
Creamy sauce – plain flour, heavy whipping cream, and chicken stock is used to make the sauce.
Seasoning – salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes.
Cheese – freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Garnish – fresh parsley.
How to make
Start by boiling a large pot of water. Once the water starts boiling add salt.
Cook pasta in boiling water as per packet instructions until al-dente.
Drain pasta (do not rinse); reserve some the pasta cooking water.
In a large skillet or pan heat olive oil and butter.
Add diced onion and saute for 20 seconds.
Add minced garlic and cook for 20 seconds with constant stirring.
Stir in flour and cook with constant stirring until flour is cooked (about 30 seconds)
Reduce heat, and pour heavy whipping cream and chicken stock. Stir cook until the sauce is thickened, and the sauce coats the back of the ladle.
Add in pasta, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir everything together.
If sauce is too thick, adjust consistency by adding 1 or 2 tablespoons of pasta cooked water.
Turn off heat, add freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Stir until cheese is melted.
Finally, garnish with fresh parsley and some more red pepper flakes if you like and serve immediately.
Tips for success
- Salt water well. Always cook pasta in salted water. Pasta will infuse the flavors will cooking, else pasta will taste under-seasoned.
- Al-dente. Always cook pasta al-dente. I usually cook pasta for 1-2 minutes less than mentioned in the packet.
- Drain, don’t rinse. Cook pasta al-dente and immediately drain in a colander. Don’t rinse it. Starch helps with the sauce and makes it silky and creamy.
- Fresh garlic. Use a garlic press to mince garlic.
- Grate cheese from the block. Always buy a Parmesan cheese block and grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese from store usually have chemicals to keep it lumping together and it does melt well.
- Heavy whipping cream is what you should use for rich, creamy sauce.
- To make a lighter version, heavy whipping cream can be substituted with whole milk. With milk, the sauce will be lighter and lesser creamier.
How to serve creamy garlic pasta
As a side dish – garlic pasta is great alongside any meat, grilled chimichurri chicken, grilled tilapia, and grilled shrimp.
As main – serve it as main with sautéed green beans, sautéed mushrooms, sautéed broccolini, and sautéed spinach a for nutritious healthy meal.
Top it with protein like rotisserie chicken (or any cooked chicken) or shrimp to make it main.
With garlic bread, focaccia, cheddar drop bread, or cheese toast it complements the pasta.
Storage and reheating
Leftover creamy garlic pasta can be stored in airtight container and refrigerated for 4-5 days.
To reheat just add a splash of chicken stock or milk or water to the pasta and microwave on medium heat for a few minutes in a microwave-safe bowl.
To reheat on the stove using a saucepan, heat on medium heat with a splash of water or milk, or chicken stock until just warm.
Common questions
Any pasta will work, ideally, it’s best to choose ones that have the shape to hold onto the sauce. Pasta shapes like penne, rotini, fusilli, or shells are great, you can also use spaghetti or fettuccini pasta.
To make a lighter version of creamy garlic pasta heavy whipping cream can be substituted with whole milk. With milk, the sauce will be lighter and lesser creamier.
Yes, cooked chicken diced into small pieces can be added. You can also use shrimp in the pasta.
Vegetables like mushrooms or corn can be added.
Other pasta recipes that you must try
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📋Creamy Garlic Pasta
Ingredients
To cook pasta
- 1 pound pasta fusilli, penne, spaghetti or fettucine
- 1 tablespoon salt
For creamy garlic pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup white or yellow onion diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- â…” cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon pepper adjust to taste
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning https://www.currytrail.in/homemade-italian-seasoning/
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
For garnish
- Fresh parsley
- Red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Start by boiling a large pot of water. Once the water starts boiling add salt.
- Cook pasta in boiling water as per packet instructions until al-dente.
- Drain pasta (do not rinse); reserve some pasta cooking water.
- In a large skillet or pan heat olive oil and butter.
- Add diced onion and saute for 20 seconds.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 20 seconds with constant stirring.
- Stir in flour and cook with constant stirring until flour is cooked (about 30 seconds)
- Reduce heat, and pour heavy whipping cream and chicken stock. Stir and cook until the sauce is thickened, and the sauce coats the back of the ladle.
- Add in pasta, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir everything together.
- If the sauce is too thick, adjust the consistency by adding 1 or 2 tablespoons of pasta cooked water.
- Turn off the heat, and add freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- Stir until the cheese is melted in the sauce.
- Finally, garnish with fresh parsley and some more red pepper flakes if you like, and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Notes
- Salt water well. Always cook pasta in salted water. Pasta will infuse the flavors will cooking, else pasta will taste under-seasoned.
- Al-dente. Always cook pasta al-dente. I usually cook pasta for 1-2 minutes less than mentioned in the packet.
- Drain, don’t rinse. Cook pasta al-dente and immediately drain in a colander. Don’t rinse it. Starch helps with the sauce and makes it silky and creamy.
- Fresh garlic. Use a garlic press to mince garlic.
- Grate cheese from the block. Always buy a Parmesan cheese block and grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese from store usually have chemicals to keep it lumping together and it does melt well.
- Heavy whipping cream is what you should use for rich, creamy sauce.
- To make a lighter version of creamy garlic pasta heavy whipping cream can be substituted with whole milk. With milk, the sauce will be lighter and lesser creamier.
Created by Jyothi Rajesh
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I’m Jyothi Rajesh (Jo for short) and i’m the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail where I share my culinary Adventures. I live in Bangalore, India. I’m a mom of two beautiful kids. My passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. I have been blogging since 2007 and many of my recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.
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