Roasted Garlic Cream Pasta (Printer-friendly)

Luscious pasta with al dente noodles in silky roasted garlic cream sauce, topped with fresh Parmesan. Ready in 55 minutes.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 whole 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)

# How-To Steps:

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. Cool slightly, then squeeze out the roasted garlic 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 pasta cooking water, then drain.
03 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped 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 cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg if desired. Simmer gently until cheese melts completely and sauce reaches a velvety consistency.
07 - Add drained pasta to the sauce, tossing thoroughly to coat. Add reserved pasta water one splash at a time until sauce reaches desired consistency.
08 - Transfer to serving dishes immediately. Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Roasting garlic transforms its sharpness into something buttery and almost caramel-like, giving the sauce a depth you simply can't buy in a jar.
  • The whole dish comes together in under an hour, yet tastes like you've been simmering something all day long.
  • It's rich enough to feel indulgent but won't leave you overstuffed, just perfectly satisfied.
  • Leftovers actually reheat beautifully with a splash of milk, which never happens with cream sauces in my experience.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, it's the only thing that will loosen the sauce without making it greasy or broken.
  • Roasted garlic can go from golden to burnt quickly in the last few minutes, so check it at 35 minutes if your oven runs hot.
  • Add the Parmesan off the heat or on very low heat, because high heat can make it grainy instead of silky.
  • If the sauce looks too thick when you add the pasta, it probably is, so use that pasta water generously and don't be shy.
03 -
  • Roast extra garlic bulbs and keep the cloves in olive oil in the fridge, they'll last a week and you can use them in everything from toast to salad dressings.
  • Use a microplane to grate the Parmesan finely so it melts into the sauce without clumping or leaving strings.
  • Warm your serving bowls in a low oven for a few minutes before plating, it keeps the pasta hot longer and feels like a restaurant touch.
  • If the sauce breaks or looks oily, whisk in a spoonful of pasta water off the heat and it will come back together like magic.
Return