Cream Cheese Garlic Pasta (Print View)

Silky cream cheese and garlic sauce tossed with pasta and broccoli for a satisfying meal.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or fettuccine

→ Vegetables

02 - 10 oz broccoli florets

→ Sauce

03 - 2 tbsp olive oil
04 - 4 large garlic cloves, minced
05 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
06 - ½ cup milk
07 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
09 - ½ tsp salt, plus more for pasta water
10 - ⅛ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Garnish

11 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
12 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese for serving

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Add broccoli florets during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water before draining pasta and broccoli.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
03 - Reduce heat to low and add cream cheese to the skillet. Stir continuously until cream cheese melts and becomes smooth.
04 - Gradually whisk in milk until the sauce is creamy. Stir in grated Parmesan, black pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes if using. Adjust sauce consistency by adding reserved pasta water a little at a time as needed.
05 - Add drained pasta and broccoli to the skillet and toss gently to coat evenly with the sauce.
06 - Plate immediately, garnished with chopped parsley and additional grated Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in about 30 minutes, which means you can have dinner on the table without the stress.
  • The cream cheese creates this impossibly silky sauce that tastes far more indulgent than the effort requires.
  • Broccoli cooked right in the pasta water means one less pot and vegetables that actually have texture.
02 -
  • Softening the cream cheese first prevents a grainy sauce—cold cream cheese never fully melts smoothly, no matter how much you stir.
  • Don't skip the pasta water; a little starch is what keeps the sauce clinging to the pasta instead of sliding off like it's rejected.
  • Taste the sauce before serving and adjust salt and pepper yourself, because every brand of Parmesan tastes slightly different.
03 -
  • Reserve more pasta water than you think you'll need; it's easier to have extra than to wish you saved more.
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh just before you cook if possible—pre-grated has anti-caking agents that make the texture slightly grainy compared to real melted cheese.
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