Garlic Parmesan Pasta! Quick And Creamy..

A classic Italian-inspired pasta dish that’s ready in under 30 minutes with minimal cleanup, this garlic parmesan pasta is the perfect weeknight comfort food. With a rich, creamy sauce made from sautéed garlic, butter, and freshly grated parmesan, it delivers big flavor with just a handful of ingredients. Whether you’re cooking for one or feeding the whole family, this quick and satisfying recipe brings together simplicity and indulgence in every bite—ideal for busy nights when you still want something homemade and delicious.

Key Info

Contents

For the Garlic Parmesan Pasta:

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Diet: Vegetarian (gluten-free option available)

Equipment Needed

Large pot or deep skillet
Wooden spoon or tongs
Cheese grater
Measuring cups and spoons
(Alternative: Use microplane instead of grater)

Ingredients

For the Garlic Parmesan Pasta:

1 pound (450g) spaghetti or fettuccine
4 tablespoons (60g) unsalted butter
6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 cup (100g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup (120ml) pasta cooking water
Salt and black pepper to taste
Optional: ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Overhead view of a kitchen counter with organized ingredients: a block of butter, garlic bulbs, grated Parmesan, and dried pasta on marble, with a chef's knife beside minced garlic, all lit by natural window light.

Method

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt.

Steam rises from a large stainless steel pot of boiling water with submerged pasta, reflections gleam in natural light, and a wooden spoon rests on the pot's edge under soft kitchen lighting.

Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Important: Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.

In the same pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add minced garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds until fragrant but not brown.

Close-up of melting butter and translucent sautéing garlic in a heavy-bottom pot, with golden bubbles and warm lighting highlighting steam.

Return pasta to pot. Add ½ cup reserved pasta water and Parmesan. Toss continuously until cheese melts and sauce becomes creamy.

Pasta being tossed with creamy sauce, strands of spaghetti in mid-air with melting Parmesan cheese.

Season with salt and black pepper. Add more pasta water if needed for desired consistency.

Garnish with fresh parsley if using. Serve immediately while hot.

Crucial Tips

Always reserve pasta water before draining.
Use freshly grated Parmesan (pre-grated won’t melt properly).
Don’t overcook the garlic – it should be fragrant but not brown.
Keep tossing the pasta while adding cheese to prevent clumping.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight container.
Reheat with splash of water over low heat.

Scaling

Recipe easily halves or doubles.
Maintain pasta-to-sauce ratio.

Common Mistakes

Using pre-grated cheese.
Forgetting to reserve pasta water.
Overcooking garlic.
Not seasoning pasta water.

Variations

Add grilled chicken or shrimp.
Mix in sautéed mushrooms.
Substitute with gluten-free pasta.
Add red pepper flakes for heat.

Trust me, as someone who’s made this dish hundreds of times in professional kitchens, these simple techniques will give you restaurant-quality results every time.