Garlic Butter Cream Pasta
A rich and creamy pasta dish infused with buttery garlic and Parmesan, perfect for a comforting weeknight meal. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe, ready in about 40 minutes, pairs pasta, butter, garlic for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 650 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti pasta
- 4 tbsp butter
- 3 cloves (minced) garlic
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (grated) Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add 12 oz spaghetti and cook for 8-10 minutes until al dente, then drain and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Step 2: In a large skillet, melt 4 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant — do not let it brown.
- Step 3: Pour in 1 cup heavy cream and stir until warmed through. Add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese and 1 tsp salt, stirring until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Step 4: Toss the cooked pasta into the skillet, adding 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the pasta is fully coated. Season with 1/2 tsp black pepper and serve immediately.
