Creamy Sauce Pasta (Printable)
Silky pasta tossed in rich cream sauce with garlic and Parmesan, ideal for quick or elegant meals.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz dried fettuccine or spaghetti
02 - Salt, for boiling water
→ Creamy Sauce
03 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 cup heavy cream
06 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
08 - 1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional)
09 - Salt, to taste
→ Garnish
10 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
11 - Extra Parmesan, for serving
# How-To Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and drain remaining water.
02 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant without browning.
03 - Pour in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Whisk in Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and optional nutmeg. Simmer for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
05 - Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat evenly. Add reserved pasta water as needed to reach desired sauce consistency.
06 - Taste and adjust salt to preference.
07 - Serve immediately, topped with chopped fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It's genuinely faster than ordering takeout, yet tastes restaurant-quality without any pretense.
- The sauce coats every strand of pasta so perfectly that you'll find yourself making it again within the week.
- It works for unexpected guests, late-night cravings, or when you're cooking solo and want something indulgent.
02 -
- The pasta water you reserved is essential—it has starch that helps the sauce cling to the noodles, and cream alone can look slick and separate if you're not careful.
- Nutmeg is optional but teaches you something important: a tiny pinch of a warming spice in cream-based dishes changes everything, and it's worth experimenting with.
03 -
- If your sauce breaks or looks separated, add a splash of cold milk and whisk vigorously off the heat—it usually comes back together.
- Room-temperature ingredients go into the sauce more smoothly than cold ones straight from the refrigerator.