Ingredients
Scale
- 6 cloves garlic, grated into a fine paste
- 60g (2.1 oz) freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter
- 1 tsp (5ml) olive oil
- 80ml (1/3 cup) chicken or vegetable stock
- 400ml (13.5 fl oz) heavy cream
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- 10–30 cracks of black pepper (to taste)
- Optional: 120g (4.2 oz) baby spinach
- Optional: 5g chopped parsley or basil
- 500g (1.1 lbs) pasta of choice
- Reserved pasta water, as needed
Instructions
- Boil pasta: Bring salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook 1 minute less than package instructions.
- Prep garlic and cheese: Grate garlic into paste and finely grate cheese. Chop herbs if using.
- Infuse fat with garlic: In a cold pan, add butter and oil. Heat to melt, then stir in garlic. Sauté 40 seconds.
- Deglaze and build base: Pour in stock. Boil 20 seconds, then add cream, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
- Simmer sauce: Bring cream to boil, then reduce to low. Simmer 6–7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Optional spinach: Stir in spinach to wilt.
- Add pasta: Transfer pasta directly into sauce. Add some pasta water if needed.
- Add cheese and finish: Stir in grated cheese. Simmer 1–2 minutes to melt and coat pasta. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve: Plate in bowls. Garnish with herbs, more cheese, cracked pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
Avoid pre-grated cheese—it contains anti-caking agents that can ruin the sauce texture. Stir sauce gently and don’t let it boil too hard after cream is added. Reheat with a splash of cream over low heat; do not freeze.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (1/4 of dish)
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 23g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 13g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
Keywords: parmesan garlic sauce, creamy garlic pasta, cheese sauce recipe, pasta with cream sauce, Italian comfort food