Creamy One-Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta

Enjoy the rich, creamy goodness of my garlic parmesan pasta! You’ll love how the irresistible flavors of Parmesan cheese and savory garlic cloves meld together in one hearty, filling meal.

I love making quick, easy, and tasty pasta recipes for dinner —especially when I’m wiped out after a long and hectic day! Thankfully, this garlic Parmesan pasta is one such recipe. I use my homemade garlic Parmesan sauce to flavor it, and it turns out so good. It’s a definite winner in my book! I hope you love it as much as we do.

Why You’ll Love This Delicious Pasta Dish

• The recipe uses simple ingredients that you may already have in your pantry.
• The dish comes together in just one large pot, making clean-up a breeze. 
• It’s so quick and easy to make! Just let the pasta cook according to instructions, stir it with the creamy garlic sauce in a large pan, and enjoy it right away. 
• You can enjoy the pasta dish as is or customize it by adding more toppings or ingredients — your choice!
• You can whip it up for a quick weekday dinner or bring it along for family gatherings. It’s a crowd-pleaser either way.  
• This recipe is definitely kid-friendly!
• Naturally vegetarian and can easily be made gluten-free.

Ingredient Notes

Garlic Parmesan Sauce: The star ingredient! It gives the pasta dish a rich, creamy texture and savory, delicious flavors. 

Pasta Of Choice: Soaks up the flavors of the sauce. You can use any shape and type of pasta you or your family prefers. Linguine, rigatoni, spaghetti, rotini, penne pasta, or angel hair pasta will work beautifully in this dish.  Use gluten-free pasta if necessary.

Reserved Pasta Water: Helps thicken the garlic parmesan sauce, making it coat each pasta noodle well. 

How to Make Garlic Parmesan Pasta

1. Prepare a batch of my garlic parmesan sauce.
2. Add the sauce and reserved cooking water to the drained pasta over low heat.
3. Toss the noodles until they are evenly coated in sauce and warm throughout.
4. Serve and enjoy!

What to Serve with Garlic Parmesan Pasta

• Served with roasted vegetables like cabbage steaks or smoky okra.
• Paired with mixed green salads like Southwest salad or grapefruit salad.
• Served with warm, toasted focaccia or breadsticks on the side. 
• Paired with sauteed mushrooms or blistered tomatoes.

Expert Tips

• Boil the pasta to al dente — you don’t want your noodles to end up too soft or soggy on your plate.
• Before serving, drizzle a bit of olive oil or truffle oil over the pasta. This helps enhance the overall flavor profile of the pasta and makes it feel more luxurious on your plate. 
• Best to serve and enjoy the dish while warm, as the sauce may thicken considerably once it cools. If it becomes too thick, add some reserved pasta water or a little olive oil to help loosen it. 
• You can add toppings to make this pasta dish more flavorful and incredible! Some great toppings include hemp seeds, red chili flakes, grated cheese, roasted chickpeas, crispy tofu, caramelized onions, microgreens, or fresh chopped herbs.
• Remember to season with salt and black pepper to give it a flavor boost!

Storing and Reheating

Allow the pasta to cool completely before storage. Any leftovers can be kept in an airtight container for up to four days in the refrigerator. You can also store the noodles and garlic parmesan sauce separately to maintain the noodles’ texture. 

You can reheat the garlic Parmesan pasta on the stovetop (in a pan over medium heat) or in the microwave. If the pasta becomes too dry after refrigerating, revive its creaminess by adding a splash of milk, pasta water, or cream.

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