Easy Cream Cheese Pasta

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This Creamy Garlic Pasta is a quick and delicious dish featuring al dente pasta tossed in a rich and velvety sauce made with cream cheese, garlic, and Parmesan. The smooth consistency of the sauce is achieved by incorporating reserved pasta water, ensuring every strand of pasta is perfectly coated.

Course Main Dish, Pasta

Cuisine American

Keyword alfredo, pasta, Valentine's

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 832kcal

Author Laura

Equipment

Ingredients

1 lb pasta linguine, penne, fusilli...
1 ½ cups cream cheese in the tub
½ cup parmesan grated plus more for serving
2 Tbsp olive oil plus more to serve
2-4 garlic cloves minced or pressed
1 cup reserved cooking water plus more if needed
salt and pepper to taste
1/4-1/2 tsp chili flakes optional

Instructions

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.
Right before draining, reserve at least a cup of the cooking water from the pasta. Set aside.
In a large skillet, add 1 Tbsp of olive oil and gently cook the garlic (plus a good pinch of chili flakes if you like) for a minute. Use a low heat, do not let the garlic burn.
Then stir the cream cheese and about 1 cup of starchy pasta water. Stir to combine eveything to make a creamy sauce. Add in the parmesan cheese and stir well.
Drain and add your pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Stir well to evenly coat the pasta in the sauce, add more cooking water as needed for a smooth and creamy consistency.
Serve immediately with a drizzle of olive oil, freshly grated parmesan, and freshly ground black pepper (or chili flakes). Enjoy! Serves 4.

Nutrition