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easy creamy penne pasta in a white bowl
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5 from 15 votes

Creamy Penne Pasta

This creamy penne pasta recipe is a super quick and simple dish that's ready in about 20 minutes! It's great for a meatless main course or side.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: creamy garlic penne, creamy penne pasta
Servings: 4
Author: Natasha Bull

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces uncooked penne
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 tablespoon flour
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken/veg broth
  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Chopped parsley optional, to taste

Instructions

  • Boil a salted pot of water for the pasta and cook it al dente according to package directions.
  • When the pasta is about 10 minutes away from being done, add the butter to a skillet over medium-high heat. Once it melts, sprinkle the flour in and cook for about 1 minute, stirring fairly often.
  • Add in the garlic, followed by the wine (or broth) and lemon juice. Let it bubble until it's reduced by half (about 30 sec - 1 minute).
  • Whisk in the cream so the flour dissolves completely, then stir in the Italian seasoning. Cook it for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened up to your liking.
  • Stir in the parmesan cheese and take the skillet off the heat. Season with salt & pepper as needed (I am generous with both).
  • Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss until coated (I like to add a tablespoon or so of the pasta water to the sauce prior to draining it, especially if it's become a tad too thick). Garnish with more parmesan and a bit of chopped parsley if you like. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Serves 2-4 depending on how hungry people are/what else you serve it with.
  • This is a very simple garlic cream pasta sauce. You can definitely jazz it up more by adding additional seasonings if you wish.
  • I don't recommend subbing the cream for a lower fat alternative. It may not thicken the same, so you may need to adjust cooking time/add more flour.

Nutrition

Calories: 521kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 205mg | Potassium: 201mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1122IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 147mg | Iron: 1mg