15-Minute Garlic Parmesan Pasta (Printable)

Comforting ditalini pasta in a creamy garlic-Parmesan sauce, ready in just 15 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz ditalini pasta
02 - 6.3 cups water
03 - 1 teaspoon salt

→ Sauce

04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
05 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
06 - 6.8 fl oz heavy cream
07 - 3.4 fl oz whole milk
08 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
09 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Cheese & Finish

10 - 2.8 oz finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt and ditalini pasta. Cook until al dente according to package instructions, stirring occasionally. Reserve 3.4 fl oz of pasta water, then drain pasta.
02 - In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant without browning.
03 - Pour in heavy cream and whole milk. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
04 - Return cooked pasta to the pot and stir to coat evenly with the sauce.
05 - Gradually stir in grated Parmesan until completely melted and sauce is creamy. If sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water incrementally to reach desired consistency.
06 - Season with black pepper and red pepper flakes if desired. Serve immediately topped with additional Parmesan and chopped parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It dirties exactly one pot, which means cleanup happens before you even sit down to eat.
  • The sauce clings to every tiny tube of pasta, so each bite is ridiculously creamy.
  • You can make it with ingredients you probably already have, no special trip required.
  • Its ready faster than most delivery apps can get to your door.
02 -
  • Grate your own Parmesan or the sauce will turn gritty and broken instead of creamy.
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain, because once its gone, you cant fix a sauce thats too thick.
  • Dont let the garlic brown or the whole dish will taste bitter and burnt.
03 -
  • Use a microplane to grate the Parmesan into a fine snow that melts instantly and makes the sauce impossibly smooth.
  • If the sauce breaks or looks oily, whisk in a tablespoon of pasta water off the heat and it will come back together like nothing happened.
  • Taste it before you add extra salt because Parmesan is already salty and you dont want to overdo it.
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