Garlic Parmesan Pasta

Ethan Brooks

This creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta is easy to make at home in one pot! Angel hair pasta cooks in a flavorful buttery cream sauce in just 10 minutes.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings: 4

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

½ cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
3 Tablespoons butter divided
4 cloves fresh garlic minced
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
8 oz. angel hair pasta
Fresh Parsley to garnish
Optional seasonings: ¼ tsp of each: onion powder oregano, thyme, parsley, pepper.

Note: Angel hair cooks very quickly. Refer to the time on package and set a timer to avoid overcooking it in the sauce in step 6, as overcooked noodles become clumpy.
Grate the Parmesan cheese and set it aside to allow it to get to room temperature.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a large skillet.
Add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the chicken broth and optional seasoning mix. Slowly add the milk, stirring as you do so. Bring to a boil.
Add the pasta noodles. Allow them to heat and use kitchen tongs to twist them into the skillet as they soften.
Let the pasta cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the noodles don't stick together. Reduce heat to low.
Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the warm pasta and toss to coat.
Gradually sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese, stirring as you do so, until smooth and well-combined. Note: The sauce will be thin at first but will thicken nicely upon standing. The pasta will continue to absorb more of the sauce as well.
Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve with Garlic Bread with Cheese!

Pro Tips:

Make sure the liquid is boiling when the pasta is added for the right consistency.
The video shows this being made with half and half. I tend to use milk now, as the sauce ends up thickening up just a tad more than I would like with half and half, but I have successfully made it with either one! :)
Purchase a block of high-quality Parmesan cheese. Always shred the cheese yourself, it will taste and melt much better. I use Belgioioso Parmesan cheese. Note that cheese that is very aged will not melt as well.
Turn off the heat before adding the cheese, if the base is too hot, the dairy will separate and you'll have a grainy consistency instead of creamy.
Add the cheese gradually as opposed to all at once. Stir it continuously as it's added.
Only have spaghetti? Try my Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta recipe with spaghetti and chicken!

Serve this with:

Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 4 servings in this recipe.