Cream Cheese Garlic Pasta (Print View)

Pasta tossed in creamy garlic sauce with broccoli and Parmesan, perfect for cozy meals.

# Components:

→ 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

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Add broccoli florets during the last 3 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the 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, ensuring it does not brown.
03 - Reduce heat to low, add softened cream cheese, and stir continuously until fully melted and smooth.
04 - Gradually whisk in milk until the sauce is creamy. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese, black pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes if using. Adjust sauce consistency by adding reserved pasta water a little at a time as needed.
05 - Add drained pasta and broccoli to the skillet. Toss gently to evenly coat with the sauce.
06 - Serve immediately, garnished with chopped fresh parsley and extra grated Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in 30 minutes but tastes like you've been standing over a stove all day.
  • The sauce is impossibly creamy without being heavy, and the broccoli sneaks in so naturally you barely notice the vegetables.
  • One skillet, minimal cleanup, and somehow it feels fancy enough for guests.
02 -
  • The pasta water is your secret weapon—its starch is what makes the sauce cling instead of sliding off, so reserve it before draining and use it to adjust consistency.
  • Cream cheese must be softened or it'll clump; take it out of the fridge 15 minutes before you start cooking, and never let the heat climb above medium or the sauce will break.
  • Al dente pasta matters because it'll keep cooking slightly when you toss it with the hot sauce; overcooked pasta absorbs sauce and turns mushy.
03 -
  • Reserve pasta water before you drain—it's the difference between a sauce that clings and one that slides off.
  • If the sauce breaks or looks grainy, remove it from heat and whisk in a splash of cold milk, which usually smooths everything back out.
  • Softened cream cheese is non-negotiable; cold cream cheese will seize and clump instead of melting into silk.
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