Cream Cheese Garlic Pasta (Printable)

A creamy garlic sauce coats tender pasta and broccoli for a comforting, easy meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or fettuccine

→ Vegetables

02 - 10 oz broccoli florets

→ Sauce

03 - 2 tbsp olive oil
04 - 4 large garlic cloves, minced
05 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
06 - ½ cup milk
07 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
09 - ½ tsp salt, plus more for pasta water
10 - ⅛ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Garnish

11 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
12 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese for serving

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Add broccoli florets during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta and broccoli.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant, avoiding browning.
03 - Reduce heat and add softened cream cheese. Stir continuously until melted and smooth.
04 - Gradually whisk in milk until sauce becomes creamy. Stir in grated Parmesan, black pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes if using. Adjust thickness by adding reserved pasta water incrementally until desired consistency is achieved.
05 - Add drained pasta and broccoli to the skillet. Toss gently to coat evenly with the sauce.
06 - Plate immediately and garnish with chopped parsley and additional grated Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cream cheese melts into an impossibly silky sauce that tastes indulgent but requires almost no effort.
  • Everything cooks in one pot plus one skillet, so cleanup is barely a thing.
  • It's genuinely impressive to serve but casual enough for a weeknight when you're tired.
02 -
  • Don't let the garlic brown—it turns bitter and ruins the whole thing, so keep the heat at medium and stay present those first couple of minutes.
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain; it's liquid gold for adjusting the sauce consistency and helps it cling to the noodles.
03 -
  • Softening the cream cheese before you start means no lumps and no frustration—just smooth, silky results every time.
  • Taste the sauce before you add the pasta because that's your last chance to adjust seasoning without affecting the final dish.
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