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Creamy garlic parmesan pasta twirled in a bowl — an easy 5-ingredient pasta dinner

Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta

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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz spaghetti
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 5 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Equipment

Method
 

  2. Cook spaghetti in salted water until just al dente; reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
  3. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat; add sliced garlic and cook 60-90 seconds until fragrant and pale golden, not brown.
  4. Pour in heavy cream, bring to a gentle simmer, cook 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
  5. Add drained pasta with 1/2 cup pasta water; toss over medium heat 1 minute until sauce coats noodles.
  6. Remove from heat, add Parmesan, toss until melted and glossy, adding more pasta water as needed; season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Notes

Slice the garlic, don't mince it — minced garlic burns in seconds. Always grate Parmesan fresh; pre-shredded contains anti-caking starch that makes sauces grainy.