One Pot Creamy Garlic Pasta
This recipe creates an incredibly silky, garlic-infused cream sauce by cooking the pasta directly in the sauce ingredients. It's a deeply satisfying, restaurant-worthy vegetarian meal that comes together in a single pot, making for an effortless weeknight dinner with minimal cleanup.
Equipment
- Large Skillet or Dutch Oven with high sides
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cheese grater
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 large shallot, finely minced
- 6-8 cloves garlic, freshly minced
- 2.5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1.5 cups whole milk or half-and-half
- 12 ounces linguine or fettuccine
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven with high sides, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the minced shallot and sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30-60 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn.
- Pour in the vegetable broth, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Whisk to combine and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
- Add the dry linguine to the skillet, breaking it in half if needed to fit. Submerge the pasta in the liquid. Return to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until pasta is al dente.
- Uncover and stir the pasta every 2-3 minutes to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Once the pasta is cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed, turn off the heat. The sauce should still be slightly loose.
- Sprinkle in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese and stir vigorously until the cheese is melted and the sauce becomes thick, glossy, and creamy.
- Stir in the fresh parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan.
Notes
For best results, use a block of Parmesan cheese and grate it yourself; pre-shredded cheese can make the sauce grainy. Maintain a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil to prevent the milk from curdling. Flavor variations: add 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes with the garlic for heat, wilt in a few handfuls of spinach during the last 2 minutes of cooking, or stir in a squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end to brighten the flavors.