Creamy Garlic Pasta Parsley (Printable)
Velvety pasta in garlic cream sauce, brightened with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz fettuccine or spaghetti
→ Sauce
02 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 1 tbsp olive oil
04 - 6 large garlic cloves, finely minced
05 - 1 cup heavy cream
06 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
07 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
08 - ½ tsp salt, or to taste
09 - Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
→ Garnish
10 - ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
11 - Extra Parmesan cheese for serving
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water and drain.
02 - Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant without browning.
03 - Reduce heat to medium-low, pour in heavy cream, stirring constantly. Let simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened.
04 - Stir in Parmesan, salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until cheese melts and sauce becomes smooth.
05 - Add drained pasta to skillet and toss to coat thoroughly. Add reserved pasta water gradually to achieve desired sauce consistency.
06 - Remove from heat and fold in chopped parsley evenly throughout the pasta.
07 - Dish immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of parsley.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Ready in thirty minutes but tastes like you've been cooking all afternoon.
- Just one pan for the sauce means minimal cleanup and maximum satisfaction.
- Forgiving enough for a weeknight, impressive enough for unexpected guests.
02 -
- Never let the garlic brown or it will taste bitter and ruin everything—medium heat and constant attention are your friends here.
- Pasta water is your secret weapon; those starch molecules actually help the sauce coat the pasta instead of just sliding off.
- Add the parsley only after you take the pan off the heat so it stays bright and fresh instead of turning dark and wilted.
03 -
- Reserve your pasta water before draining—it's the most important ingredient you'll use and most people throw it away.
- Keep the heat gentle throughout so the cream stays creamy instead of breaking into separated puddles of fat and liquid.