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    Home » Mains

    15 Minute Creamy Garlic Pasta Recipe

    Published: Jul 14, 2018 / Updated: Sep 5, 2021 / 50 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my affiliate disclosure for more details.

    Jump to Recipe

    This creamy garlic pasta is fast, simple, and delicious! A weeknight favorite. This easy pasta recipe can be on your table in about 15 minutes!

    creamy garlic pasta in earthenware bowl

    Sometimes you just want comfort food. And fast. This pasta does this trick!

    There's plenty of creamy pasta recipes out there... some made with cream, and others with cream cheese or milk. You can't beat the taste of real cream, in my opinion, so that's what I went with. This recipe isn't far off Fettuccine Alfredo, so if you like that, you'll probably like this garlic parmesan pasta.

    creamy garlic pasta in earthenware bowl with spaghetti twirled on a fork

    How to make creamy garlic pasta sauce (overview):

    In a skillet, make a quick roux with the butter and flour, then stir in the garlic and chicken broth. You then add the cream and let the sauce thicken. Just prior to serving, add the parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Toss with the pasta and enjoy! (Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below)

    Sooo easy. And that creamy garlic sauce is so tasty.

    close-up of creamy garlic pasta on fork

    Recipe notes & tips:

    • I like this pasta as-is, but it's a great blank canvas for adding in cooked chicken or other type or protein. You could even add some veggies (try a handful of peas) if you wanted to.
    • I used linguine, but any kind of pasta (whatever's in stock in your pantry!) will do. Penne would work great in this creamy pasta dish.
    • I definitely recommend adding the parsley because it livens the dish up a bit. The freshness and touch of green is the perfect balance to the decadence of the creamy sauce.
    • You could make this creamy pasta sauce with milk or half-and-half, but I haven't tested it out. You'll end up with a thinner sauce, but you will save some calories. If you do want to go that route, I suggest adding a touch more flour (but not too much more - you don't want it to taste too floury) and/or cooking it for a bit longer so it reduces.
    • I used chicken broth because it adds a lot of flavor to this simple dish. You could sub with vegetable broth if you really need this dish to be vegetarian, but I do personally prefer the taste when you use chicken broth/stock.

    You may also like...

    • Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
    • Chicken Tortellini Alfredo
    • 15 Minute Creamy Alfredo Gnocchi
    • Easy Shrimp Alfredo
    • Lemon Parmesan Chicken Alfredo Recipe
    • Creamy Penne Pasta

    creamy garlic pasta in earthenware bowl on grey surface

    I hope you will love this easy creamy garlic parmesan pasta recipe! Will you give it a try? Let me know in the comments if you have any questions.

    This easy creamy garlic pasta recipe is a fast and tasty weeknight comfort food dinner! 

    Creamy Garlic Pasta

    This creamy garlic pasta is fast, easy, and delicious! A weeknight favorite. This easy pasta recipe can be on your table in about 15 minutes!
    4.86 from 14 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Italian American
    Servings 4
    Calories 481 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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
    • Fresh parsley chopped, to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Boil a salted pot of water for the pasta. Cook pasta 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 2 minutes, stirring often. 
    • Stir in the garlic and chicken broth and let it simmer for about a minute.
    • Add in the cream and let the sauce cook for a few more minutes until it's thickened to your liking, then add the parmesan cheese, salt & pepper as needed, and parsley. 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. 

    Notes

    • I do all the prep while the pasta is cooking, so that's why I don't put anything for prep time. 
    • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
       

    Nutrition

    Calories: 481kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 12gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 232mgPotassium: 201mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1035IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 148mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword creamy garlic pasta, garlic parmesan pasta
    Author Natasha Bull
    « Spicy Tuna Stuffed Avocado
    Easy Ground Turkey Burgers Recipe »

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    1. Yana says

      March 20, 2023 at 9:22 PM

      5 stars
      My teen daughter found and made it - so delicious! Keeping this recipe for sure. Will try with seafood next time.Thank you!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 21, 2023 at 10:27 AM

        You're very welcome!! So glad it was a hit! 🙂

        Reply
    2. gail w turner says

      May 29, 2022 at 7:55 AM

      Wow this is the first time I have found a recipe with a slider. What a great idea!!! The pasta was delicious too!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        May 29, 2022 at 12:56 PM

        I'm so glad you found it helpful and enjoyed the recipe, Gail! 🙂

        Reply
    3. nina says

      January 10, 2022 at 2:27 PM

      can you wait a few hours before serving the sauce?

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        January 10, 2022 at 2:29 PM

        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.

        Reply
    4. Connor says

      May 7, 2021 at 2:52 PM

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        May 7, 2021 at 2:54 PM

        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. 🙂

        Reply
        • Connor says

          May 7, 2021 at 6:57 PM

          Oh i didn't see that sorry. it was still really good

          Reply
          • Natasha says

            May 7, 2021 at 7:04 PM

            No worries! I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂

            Reply
    5. Yasmin says

      January 1, 2021 at 1:21 PM

      4 stars
      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

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        January 1, 2021 at 1:38 PM

        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.

        Reply
    6. Austin says

      October 8, 2020 at 5:04 AM

      Do you double the recipe if using 16oz of pasta instead of 8oz ?

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        October 8, 2020 at 9:01 AM

        I would say that's probably a good idea if you want lots of sauce 🙂

        Reply
    7. Dee says

      June 28, 2020 at 10:15 AM

      5 stars
      Beautiful, I fancied creamy garlic pasta and came across this recipe. Very easy and tasted gorgeous. Big thumbs up from mom & myself 🙂

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        June 28, 2020 at 12:26 PM

        Wonderful! Thank you Dee!

        Reply
    8. Kate says

      June 2, 2020 at 8:29 AM

      5 stars
      Made this for the first time recently and really enjoyed it. Full of flavour and very easy and quick to make!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        June 2, 2020 at 8:45 AM

        That's awesome! Thanks for letting me know, Kate!

        Reply
    9. Julia says

      May 16, 2020 at 3:23 AM

      Hi Natasha, this was absolutely delicious. Thank you. Will become a regular on our menu with the chicken I baked. Julia

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        May 16, 2020 at 9:50 AM

        Yay!! So glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
      • Dina says

        June 3, 2020 at 2:21 AM

        5 stars
        Hi Natasha ! Loved the recipe and it turned out to be delicious. Extremely simple and tasty! Thanks for sharing. Dina

        Reply
        • Natasha says

          June 3, 2020 at 9:21 AM

          I'm so happy you like it, Dina 🙂

          Reply
    10. [email protected] says

      March 28, 2020 at 9:46 AM

      Oh.My.How.Delicious! I prepared this dish one evening last week about 9 PM. It was our first week of working from home and home/crisis schooling and also taking care of my husband's 90 year old Mother. I used what I had open and on its last day of freshness. I had 1/2 box of fettuccine and a 1/2 carton of Half and Half open. I also had a few cremini mushrooms at the end of freshness and no shallot. I tossed in a sprinkle of dried minced onion just for flavor while sauteing 3 large garlic cloves & mushroom. The next day for lunch, I warmed the leftovers with a splash of chicken broth and a splash of whole milk along with a handful of leftover broccoli florets from another night's dinner and more freshly grated Parmesan. Thank you for a wonderful recipe. It was comfort food at its best.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 28, 2020 at 12:30 PM

        I'm so glad it inspired you to use up what you had in the fridge! 🙂 XO

        Reply
    11. KB says

      January 25, 2020 at 8:34 PM

      5 stars
      This was so simple and tasty! Will be making these plenty of times in the future!9

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        January 26, 2020 at 10:22 AM

        Excellent!! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂

        Reply
    12. Kelly says

      December 27, 2019 at 1:55 PM

      5 stars
      Wonderful recipe and easy to follow! We made this for a Christmas Eve family dinner and it was a hit! We ground up some spicy chicken sausage and added it to the dish. We also served this delicious dish with a side salad. It was perfect! Next time we’ll make homemade pasta 🙂 Oh and the leftovers the next day were just as delicious! We’ll definitely be adding this into our dinner rotation!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        December 27, 2019 at 9:54 PM

        So happy that it was a hit, Kelly!! Love the sausage idea. 🙂

        Reply
    13. Audrey says

      November 17, 2019 at 4:58 PM

      5 stars
      WOW!!!! So simple yet one of the best dishes I’ve ever made!!! My 9 year old and I LOVED this! Thank you for sharing! I doubled the recipe and added crushed red peppers to my personal serving. 5 stars!!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        November 17, 2019 at 5:18 PM

        Aww I'm so glad to hear it, Audrey!! Thanks for letting me know 😀

        Reply
      • Charlotte says

        January 5, 2020 at 5:57 PM

        5 stars
        Oh my. Gosh. Tried this tonight at 12.45am.i was craving creamy pasta. It was absolutely delicious. Restaurant quality. Definitely try it!!

        Reply
        • Natasha says

          January 6, 2020 at 10:42 AM

          So happy to hear it!! Great time to make pasta hehehe. 🙂

          Reply
    14. Rebekah says

      October 26, 2019 at 12:19 PM

      5 stars
      Delicious! I made it for lunch because I was sick and I figured I should treat myself to something special. It tastes SO good! Five stars. 🙂 (I'll be adding this to my recipe book)
      Also, you can substitute heavy cream with half and half if you don't have cream. 🙂

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        October 26, 2019 at 7:33 PM

        Aww so happy you liked it! Hope you feel better soon! Re: half-and-half, you may need to cook it a little longer or add more flour to get the sauce to thicken up the same.

        Reply
    15. Marge H says

      May 11, 2019 at 2:53 AM

      5 stars
      This was good! Made it for dinner last night. I used rigatoni pasta threw some broccoli into the water before pasta was done cooking. Added sauteed onions,peppers and zucchini and a little left over roasted chicken at the end. I also sliced my garlic (a little extra) and cooked it in the sauce. My picky husband raved about it.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        May 11, 2019 at 1:09 PM

        Yay I am so happy you liked it! Love your additions.

        Reply
    16. Elizabeth says

      October 1, 2018 at 10:12 AM

      4 stars
      I made it with GF pasta, added 2 tbs low fat cream cheese, 2 % milk, extra garlic and fresh shrimp I sauteed in a bit of olive oil..also use fresh parm and Romano...we enjoyed it...thanks for the idea...it really brought it up a few notches 🙂

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        October 2, 2018 at 8:15 AM

        Your adaptations sound delicious!

        Reply
      • Rachel says

        March 25, 2020 at 2:01 PM

        Can I substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth?

        Reply
        • Natasha says

          March 25, 2020 at 2:03 PM

          Absolutely!

          Reply
    17. Eliza says

      September 18, 2018 at 7:55 PM

      5 stars
      Yum! I made this tonight for dinner. It was a hit! So delicious & easy. It’s added to my recipe box. I paired it with peas & it was delicious!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        September 18, 2018 at 8:10 PM

        I'm so happy you liked it!! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment! 🙂

        Reply
    18. KBF says

      September 17, 2018 at 12:29 PM

      What kind of vegetable would pair well with this?

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        September 17, 2018 at 12:44 PM

        I'd serve this with a salad. Hope you enjoy the recipe! 🙂

        Reply
        • Sally Inada says

          November 7, 2019 at 9:23 PM

          I did eat a side romaine, endive & radicchio salad. I used some of the last of the salad to wipe out The leftover sauce in my bowl. Tasted great. Yum.

          Reply
          • Natasha says

            November 8, 2019 at 10:44 AM

            So happy you enjoyed it, Sally! 🙂

            Reply
    19. Lori P says

      September 17, 2018 at 10:47 AM

      This link popped up in my google feed! I am definitely adding this recipe to my meal plan this week. Yum! 🙂

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        September 17, 2018 at 10:52 AM

        Enjoy!! 🙂

        Reply
        • Carol phillips says

          September 22, 2019 at 9:58 AM

          I love this recipe but is it free able after cooking it? I like to have things already cooked then cool & put in freezer for later!

          Reply
          • Natasha says

            September 22, 2019 at 3:32 PM

            Hi Carol! Unfortunately, I don't find creamy pastas tend to reheat that well. Freezing it will likely made the sauce separate and the pasta turn mushy.

            Reply

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    Hi! I'm Natasha. Salt & Lavender is a recipe blog with a focus on delicious comfort food using everyday ingredients. Beat the weekday grind with hundreds of easy-to-follow and hassle-free recipes!  Read more...

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