Description
This indulgent Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta combines perfectly cooked penne with a rich, velvety garlic cream sauce. Made with butter, fresh garlic, milk, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese, this restaurant-quality dish comes together in just 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights or elegant dinner parties.
Ingredients
1 pound penne pasta 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 6 cloves garlic, minced (about 3 tablespoons) 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1¾ cups whole milk (warmed) ½ cup heavy cream (warmed) 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional, for a little kick) 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a lively boil. Add the penne and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside—keep it warm!
- Build the garlic base: In the same pot over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Once it’s shimmering, toss in the minced garlic. Sauté until fragrant—about 1 to 1½ minutes—making sure it doesn’t brown too much. You want that mellow, sweet garlic flavor.
- Thicken the sauce: Sprinkle the flour over the garlic-butter mixture. Stir continuously for about 30 seconds to cook off that raw-flour taste.
- Cream it up: Slowly whisk in the warmed milk, then the heavy cream, until smooth and bubbling. Keep whisking so no lumps form.
- Cheese please!: Turn the heat down to low. Add the grated Parmesan cheese, stirring until melted and luscious. Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if you like a little sizzle. Taste and adjust seasonings—this is your show, so go ahead and make it perfect for your crowd!
- Marry pasta and sauce: Add the cooked penne back into the pot. Gently toss until every curve and nook of that pasta is coated in creamy garlicky goodness.
- Serve hot, sprinkle love: Dish out generous scoops of pasta onto plates or into a big family bowl. Garnish with fresh parsley and an extra shower of Parmesan.
Notes
- For best results, warm your milk and cream before adding to prevent lumps in the sauce
- Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining to adjust sauce consistency if needed
- The sauce will thicken as it sits, so you may need to add reserved pasta water or additional cream when reheating
- This recipe easily doubles for larger gatherings
- For a lighter version, substitute half the heavy cream with additional milk
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (about 1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 62g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 45mg