Nurse's License Renewal Pasta
A comforting Italian pasta dish with a creamy garlic-herb sauce, perfect for winding down after a long shift. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs spaghetti, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 580 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
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves, minced garlic
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 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: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Step 3: Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/4 cup chopped parsley, simmering gently for 2 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Step 4: Add drained spaghetti to the skillet along with 1/2 cup reserved pasta water, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Toss vigorously for 1 minute until the sauce coats every strand and reaches a creamy consistency.








