Roasted Garlic Cream Pasta (Print)

Al dente pasta in a silky roasted garlic cream sauce, finished with freshly grated Parmesan. Pure comfort in a bowl.

# Components:

→ Roasted Garlic

01 - 2 whole garlic bulbs
02 - 2 teaspoons olive oil

→ Pasta

03 - 12 ounces fettuccine or spaghetti
04 - Salt for pasta water

→ Cream Sauce

05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - 1/4 cup milk
09 - 2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
12 - Pinch of nutmeg, optional

→ Garnish

13 - Extra Parmesan cheese for serving
14 - Chopped fresh parsley, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice the tops off garlic bulbs to expose cloves, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast for 35-40 minutes until soft and golden. Allow to cool, then squeeze out the roasted cloves.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain.
03 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and sauté until softened, approximately 2 minutes.
04 - Mash roasted garlic into a paste and add to the skillet, stirring for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Pour cream and milk into the skillet, whisking to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.
06 - Stir in Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg if using. Simmer gently until cheese melts and sauce becomes velvety.
07 - Add drained pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat. Add reserved pasta water a splash at a time until sauce reaches desired consistency.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The roasted garlic turns sweet and mellow, with none of the sharpness you expect from raw cloves.
  • It comes together in under an hour, but tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen.
  • The creamy sauce clings to every strand of pasta without feeling heavy or overly rich.
  • You can make it with ingredients you likely already have, no specialty store runs required.
02 -
  • Do not skip reserving the pasta water, its starch is the secret to a sauce that clings instead of slides off.
  • Roast the garlic until it is truly soft and golden, underdone garlic will taste sharp and bitter in the sauce.
  • Keep the heat low once you add the Parmesan, high heat can make the cheese seize and turn grainy.
  • Toss the pasta in the skillet rather than just pouring sauce over it, this ensures every bite is perfectly coated.
03 -
  • Roast extra garlic bulbs and keep them on hand, they are incredible spread on toast or stirred into mashed potatoes.
  • Use a microplane to grate the Parmesan, it melts faster and more evenly than larger shreds.
  • If the sauce breaks or looks greasy, whisk in a spoonful of pasta water off the heat, it will come back together like magic.
  • Taste before serving and adjust the salt, Parmesan adds a lot of saltiness so you might need less than you think.
Back