15-Minute Garlic Parmesan Pasta (Printer-friendly)

Quick ditalini pasta tossed in a creamy garlic-Parmesan sauce, perfect for easy weeknight meals.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.6 oz ditalini pasta
02 - 6.3 cups water
03 - 1 tsp salt

→ Sauce

04 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
05 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
06 - 7 fl oz heavy cream
07 - 3.4 fl oz whole milk
08 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
09 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Cheese & Finish

10 - 2.8 oz finely grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for serving)
11 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt and ditalini pasta. Cook until al dente according to package instructions, stirring occasionally. Reserve 3.4 fl oz of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
02 - In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
03 - Pour in the heavy cream and whole milk. Stir to combine, then bring to a gentle simmer.
04 - Add the cooked ditalini back into the pot. Stir to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce.
05 - Gradually add the grated Parmesan while stirring constantly until fully melted and the sauce is creamy. Adjust consistency by adding reserved pasta water a little at a time if needed.
06 - Season with black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Serve immediately, topped with additional Parmesan and chopped parsley.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pot, so cleanup is as fast as dinner itself.
  • The sauce clings to every piece of pasta without feeling heavy or overthick.
  • You can double the garlic without anyone complaining, trust me on that.
  • It tastes like you spent an hour in the kitchen, but you were done before the oven even preheated.
02 -
  • Always reserve pasta water before draining, I forgot once and had to thin the sauce with plain water and it just wasn't the same.
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh or the sauce will turn gritty and separated instead of smooth and creamy.
  • Don't let the garlic sit in the butter too long or it'll go from fragrant to burnt in seconds.
03 -
  • Use a wooden spoon to stir the cheese in, metal spoons can sometimes make the sauce break if you're stirring too hard.
  • Taste the pasta water before draining, if it's well-salted, you probably won't need extra salt in the sauce.
  • Let the pot rest off the heat for a minute before serving so the sauce clings even better to the pasta.
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