Garlic Parmesan Pasta

square crop of a bowl of pasta in creamy garlic sauce topped with chives and a fork in the bowl.

5 from 8 votes

This Garlic Parmesan Pasta is so good. Creamy and delicious. Easy to make, comes together in just a few minutes. Full flavored, and garlicky. Complex, but not too much garlic; it’s a great balance of flavors! Perfect comfort food. The recipe box has an easy slider you can use to change the servings.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword garlic, parmesan, pasta

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 431kcal

Author Debi

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic pressed or minced
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons butter
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups vegetable broth
8 ounces dry uncooked pasta 1/2 pound
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup half & half
thyme leaves or chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the fresh garlic and garlic powder. Cook for 1 to 2minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Stir in the butter until melted.Add the salt, pepper, and vegetable broth. Increase the heat to high and bring to a rolling boil.
Stir in the pasta and cook according to the package directions, about 9 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove the pot from the heat.Stir in the Parmesan cheese until completely melted. Add the half-and-half and stir until creamy. Cover and let the pasta rest for 5 minutes to thicken.
Salt amount may vary depending on the saltiness of the broth and Parmesan. Taste before serving and add additional salt if needed. Garnish with fresh thyme or parsley and additional freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Video

Notes

Freshly grated Parmesan melts much more smoothly than pre-shredded Parmesan.

The sauce will continue to thicken as the orzo rests.

Different brands of pasta absorb liquid differently. If the pasta becomes dry before tender, add a splash of additional broth.

Note that the recipe is best served immediately. Leftovers can be reheated with a splash of broth or milk to loosen the sauce.

This recipe doubles easily if you'd like to use an entire 1-pound box of pasta. The recipe card has an easy slider you can use to increase the amount of the pasta to 1 pound. You’ll find that slider on the servings area.

Nutrition