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Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta

Fettuccine tossed in a silky garlic-Parmesan cream sauce made from pantry staples — on the table in 15 minutes.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz fettuccine, linguine, or spaghetti (340g)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter ​
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream ​
  • 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese ​
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt ​
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper ​
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or basil for serving

Equipment

  • Large skillet for the sauce
  • Large pot for the pasta

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until just shy of al dente, 1 minute less than package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
  2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 45–60 seconds, stirring, until fragrant and faintly golden. Do not brown.
  3. Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook 2 minutes, until slightly thickened.
  4. Remove from heat. Add Parmesan a handful at a time, whisking until each addition melts before adding more.
  5. Whisk in salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  6. Add drained pasta to the sauce. Toss with tongs, adding reserved pasta water a splash at a time, until glossy and well coated.
  7. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan, parsley, and black pepper.

Notes

Grate your own Parmesan — pre-shredded cheese makes the sauce grainy. Keep the cheese off high heat to avoid clumps. Thin leftovers with a splash of milk when reheating gently on the stove.