Recipes › Pasta › Creamy Garlic Pasta Recipe

Creamy Garlic Pasta Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

This elegant Italian pasta features a silky sauce made from garlic, cream, and Parmesan cheese that coats each strand beautifully. The dish comes together quickly, making it perfect for weeknight dinners or intimate entertaining. Simple yet sophisticated, creamy garlic pasta showcases how a few quality ingredients can create something truly memorable.

Ingredients

• 400g dried pasta (such as fettuccine or linguine)
• 150ml heavy cream (heavy whipping cream)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 90g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 4 tablespoons (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5ml) fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon (0.5g) red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons (8g) fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) reserved pasta cooking water

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente, stirring occasionally. Reserve 2 tablespoons of pasta cooking water before draining.

2. While pasta cooks, heat olive oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter is fully melted and foaming.

3. Add minced garlic to the warm oil and butter, stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and just beginning to turn golden. Do not allow garlic to brown.

4. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in the heavy cream, stirring gently to combine. Heat for 2-3 minutes until steaming, then remove from heat.

5. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until fully melted and smooth. Add lemon juice and red pepper flakes, tasting and adjusting seasoning with salt and pepper.

6. Add the drained pasta directly to the skillet with the cream sauce. Toss gently for 2 minutes, adding reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time if the sauce seems too thick. The sauce should coat the pasta lightly.

7. Divide pasta among four serving bowls or plates. Garnish with fresh Italian parsley and an extra grind of black pepper. Serve immediately while hot.

Substitutions

• Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a lighter version, though the sauce will be less rich
• Substitute grated Pecorino Romano for Parmesan for a sharper, more peppery flavor
• Use dairy-free heavy cream (oat or coconut-based) and nutritional yeast for a vegan adaptation
• Replace fresh garlic with 1 teaspoon (3g) of high-quality garlic powder if fresh is unavailable, reducing intensity slightly

Tips

• Reserve pasta water before draining—the starch helps the cream sauce cling to the noodles and creates a silkier texture
• Do not let garlic brown in the oil; it becomes bitter and unpleasant. Keep heat at medium and stir constantly
• Add pasta to the sauce rather than sauce to pasta; this helps the noodles absorb the flavors more evenly
• Serve immediately after plating, as the sauce will thicken as it cools

Creamy garlic pasta, or pasta all'aglio e olio-inspired cream sauce, bridges rustic Italian tradition with richer European cooking techniques. While the classic aglio e olio uses only oil and garlic, the cream version represents the evolution of Italian cuisine through regional variations and modern interpretations found in contemporary Roman and Northern Italian trattorias.

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