Why you'll love it

A piping hot bowl of this creamy garlic penne recipe can be on your table in as long as it takes to boil and cook the pasta. It uses ingredients you're likely to have on hand already in your fridge and pantry. My kinda weeknight meal!

While you can dress up this penne pasta recipe with a protein, it's absolutely delicious as-is with balanced flavors in the irresistibly creamy sauce. This one might be the very definition of a quick and easy pasta, and it's a favorite among kids and picky eaters too.

What you'll need

Penne - this tube-shaped pasta is the perfect vessel for the sauce

Butter and flour - to make a quick roux

Garlic - we're pretty generous, but add even more if you're a garlic lover. This garlic press makes it simple to mince the cloves.

Wine or broth - a dry white wine like sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio adds a fancy touch, but chicken broth works just fine too

Lemon juice - a tiny amount of freshly squeezed lemon juice helps the sauce taste a little less one-dimensional. It adds acidity and brightness.

Heavy cream - for that luscious quality in the sauce

Italian seasoning - my favorite variety of dried herbs that's really versatile and all in a single jar

Parmesan - I recommend grating your own parmesan cheese. The powdered stuff is no comparison! I always keep a block in my fridge and use my Microplane to grate it.

Pro tips

This is a pretty basic garlic cream sauce, so you can definitely add more seasonings if you feel like it. You need a decent amount of salt in cream sauces (or else they can be a bit bland), so don't be shy. Taste and adjust!

If the sauce gets too thick, add in a splash of the hot pasta water to thin it out. Keep in mind that cream sauces thicken up more as they cool.

How to make creamy penne pasta

This is an overview, and full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Melt the butter in a skillet, then add flour to make a roux, followed by the garlic, wine (or chicken/veg broth) and lemon juice. Cook it down until it's somewhat thickened.

At that point, you whisk in the cream and add Italian seasoning in. Continue cooking until it's thickened up some more. Once the sauce has reached your desired thickness a few minutes later, take the pan off the heat.

Stir in the parmesan cheese, season generously with salt & pepper, and then add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss until coated. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Substitutions and variations

I don't recommend subbing the cream with a lower fat alternative as the sauce may curdle and/or not thicken as well.

You could definitely add some Cooked Chicken or shrimp to this sauce. Readers have also added in crumbled Oven Cooked Bacon to make it extra special.

Feel free to swap out the penne for another shape of pasta if you wish. Rigatoni or a similar size would be best.

What to serve with creamy penne

If serving it as a main course, round out the meal with Cheesy Garlic Bread, garlic knots, or breadsticks.

A side salad is a great fresh complement. My Easy Caesar Salad Dressing is always a good idea.

As a side dish, pair this easy penne with Easy Baked Chicken Breast, this Easy Baked Pork Tenderloin, or Salmon Patties.

Leftovers and storage

Store any leftovers of this penne pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days max.

When reheating, you may need to give it an extra splash of wine or broth. Warm it up in a saucepan over a low heat.

I don't suggest freezing leftovers of this one. The texture of the garlic cream sauce won't be the same.

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