Cream Cheese Garlic Pasta (Printable Version)

Silky cream cheese and garlic blend with tender broccoli and pasta for a comforting dinner.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or fettuccine pasta

→ 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 extra for pasta water
10 - ⅛ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Garnish

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

# Step-by-Step Guide:

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 water, then drain both pasta and broccoli.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant without browning.
03 - Reduce heat to low and add cream cheese. Stir continuously until melted and smooth.
04 - Gradually whisk in milk until sauce is creamy. Stir in Parmesan cheese, black pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes if using. Adjust thickness by adding reserved pasta water gradually.
05 - Add drained pasta and broccoli to the skillet and toss gently to coat evenly with sauce.
06 - Plate immediately and garnish with chopped parsley and extra grated Parmesan cheese.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The whole thing comes together in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for weeknight sanity.
  • Cream cheese creates a sauce so luxurious it feels like you're cheating, but the ingredient list is embarrassingly short.
  • One pot holds everything, so cleanup doesn't become the worst part of dinner.
02 -
  • Don't skip softening the cream cheese beforehand—a cold brick will fight you and create lumps that even whisking won't fix.
  • That pasta water is genuinely essential; it's not just a backup, it's the thing that makes the sauce actually coat the pasta instead of sliding off.
  • Broccoli at the last 3 minutes is the sweet spot—longer and it becomes mushy, shorter and it stays too firm.
03 -
  • Keep the heat on medium or lower once cream cheese enters the pan—high heat breaks the sauce and makes it grainy instead of silky.
  • Taste constantly as you build the sauce because Parmesan's saltiness varies, and you want to season properly without ending up with something too aggressive.
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