Description
One Pot Creamy Garlic Pasta is a cozy weeknight staple that comes together in 20 minutes in a single pan. This rich, garlicky vegetarian pasta finishes with a silky Parmesan sauce using milk and vegetable broth. Perfect for busy families or solo dinners, it delivers comforting, restaurant-like flavor with minimal cleanup. Garnish with parsley, add a pinch of Italian seasoning or red pepper flakes for an extra kick, and enjoy.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz pasta (spaghetti, linguine, or penne)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Salt, to taste
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- Optional: fresh parsley or red pepper flakes for garnish
Instructions
- In a large deep skillet or pot, melt butter over medium heat.
- Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in milk and vegetable broth, then season with salt and pepper.
- Add uncooked pasta and gently press it down to submerge.
- Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Cook for 10–12 minutes until pasta is tender and sauce thickens.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning until creamy.
- Remove from heat and let sit 1–2 minutes to thicken further.
- Garnish if desired and serve hot.
Notes
- You can use any short pasta shape or whole-wheat pasta
- For a dairy-free version, swap in almond milk and olive oil
- Adjust salt after tasting due to Parmesan saltiness
- Leftovers reheat well on the stovetop or in the microwave
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Pasta, Main Dish
- Method: One-Pot
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 300 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
Keywords: One Pot Creamy Garlic Pasta, One Pot Pasta, Creamy Garlic Pasta, 20-Minute Dinner, Vegetarian Pasta, Easy Weeknight Dinner, Garlic Parmesan Pasta, Italian Pasta, Pantry Pasta