Cream Cheese Garlic Pasta (Printable)

Silky cream cheese and garlic sauce coats pasta and broccoli for a comforting, satisfying dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Add broccoli florets to boiling water during the last 3 minutes. Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water, then drain 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 the softened cream cheese. Stir continuously until melted and smooth.
04 - Gradually whisk in milk until sauce becomes creamy. Stir in grated Parmesan, black pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes if using. Adjust thickness by adding reserved pasta water a little at a time to desired consistency.
05 - Add drained pasta and broccoli to the skillet. Toss gently to coat evenly with the sauce.
06 - Plate immediately and garnish with chopped parsley and extra grated Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cream cheese creates a sauce so silky and luxurious that it feels indulgent but comes together in under 30 minutes.
  • Fresh broccoli cooked right in the pasta water means one less pot to wash and vegetables that taste perfectly tender, not mushy.
  • It's flexible enough to add chicken, shrimp, or keep it vegetarian, and somehow tastes impressive even though you're using just a handful of ingredients.
02 -
  • Softening the cream cheese beforehand prevents lumps from forming when it hits the heat—I learned this the hard way by trying cold blocks that turned into grainy clumps.
  • The pasta cooking water is your secret weapon; it contains starch that helps the sauce cling and emulsify rather than sliding off into a pool at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Don't let the garlic brown, even a little, because it shifts from sweet and mellow to harsh and burnt in seconds, and no amount of cream cheese can fix it.
03 -
  • Reserve at least a cup of pasta water before draining—this starchy liquid is how professional cooks get sauces to cling properly, and it's free seasoning built right in.
  • Toast a handful of panko breadcrumbs in a pan with olive oil and a pinch of salt, then scatter it over the top for texture contrast that takes this from comfort food to something you'd order in a restaurant.
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