Garlic Parmesan Pasta (One Pot Pasta)

Garlic Parmesan Pasta is light and creamy, perfect to serve as a side dish for your favorite protein or as a super simple main dish. This easy recipe is a one pot pasta with tender noodles, a cheesy, creamy garlic sauce and the best part is it’s ready in 20 minutes!

For a simple, easy meal, serve with Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs and Cheesy Garlic Bread.

Garlic Parmesan Pasta

This easy recipe is an absolute family favorite. I usually serve Garlic Parmesan Pasta with Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs or Oven Baked Chicken Breasts and some Frozen Vegetables or a quick tossed salad. I’ve also been known to just whip it up for lunch because it’s such a quick recipe.

The garlic pasta sauce is creamy and tastes like an Alfredo Sauce. To lighten it up, I used half skim milk and half heavy cream. You could use any ratio of milk and cream that you like, or even no cream at all. The more cream you use, the richer the sauce will be.

The best part you can have this dish on the table in 20 minutes, depending on how you cook it. I’ve included two methods below. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Garlic
• Butter
• Uncooked linguine or fettuccine noodles – this is the type of pasta I commonly use. You could really use any pasta you like but you may have to adjust the cooking time.
• Chicken broth (or stock) – if you don’t have broth handy, water can be used as a substitute. Just be sure to taste and add salt as needed.
• Salt and pepper – you can also add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, dried oregano, or basil for additional seasoning.
• 1 cup milk/cream – use any ratio of milk to cream, or use half and half.
• Parmesan cheese – freshly grated off the block
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, for garnish

Step by Step Instructions

* Be sure to see the recipe card below for the
complete list of ingredients and full instructions *

1. Saute garlic in a 12-inch skillet. Garlic cooks quickly, so you’ll only want to cook it for about a minute.
2. Add the pasta, salt, pepper, butter, chicken stock, and milk/cream to the skillet. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. It’s hard to stir long, uncooked noodles, so using tongs works great to help toss them around in the sauce.
3. Once the mixture is boiling, reduce the heat and cover the pan. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until pasta is cooked to al dente. You can also cook the pasta with the lid off at a higher heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes for an even quicker dish.
4. Turn off the heat and toss the cooked pasta in the sauce. Add Parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the pasta, tossing with tongs to get it well incorporated and melted. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Expert Tips and FAQs

• When the pasta is cooked there should still be just a little liquid left in the pan. As you stir in the Parmesan cheese this liquid will help to create the creamy sauce.
• Add the Parmesan gradually and in a thin layer evenly across the top of the pasta, then gently toss to melt and coat the pasta. Do this in batches if necessary to ensure the cheese doesn’t clump as it melts.
• I will sometimes grate the block of cheese right into the pasta, tossing as I go, to avoid clumping.
• Always use fresh, grated off-the-block Parmesan. The pre-grated and pre-shredded won’t melt and you’ll end up with a grainy sauce.
• If your pasta sauce is too thick, just add a few splashes of milk or cream at a time. Toss with each addition until your desired consistency is reached.
• For an extra creamy sauce, or if you need to thicken your sauce, add a couple ounces of softened cream cheese.

What to serve with Garlic Parmesan Pasta

• Spicy Garlic Shrimp
• Chicken Piccata
• Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken Drumsticks
• Shrimp Scampi
• Garden Salad with Homemade Ranch Dressing
• Pan Roasted Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs
• Oven Roasted Asparagus

Storage and Reheating

Storage: Once pasta is cooled and within 2 hours of cooking, store leftover garlic parmesan pasta in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.

To reheat: You can reheat your pasta in the microwave or on the stovetop in a skillet (recommended). Before heating, add a splash of milk to help the sauce bind together, and reheat gradually and at a low temperature for best results.

More One Pot Pasta Recipes You’ll Love

• One Pan Caprese Pasta
• One Pan Philly Cheesesteak 
• One Pot Creamy Chicken and Noodles
• One Pot Chicken Alfredo

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