Cream Cheese Pasta
This cream cheese pasta recipe is the ultimate last minute meal. Made with ingredients you likely have in your fridge, this extra-creamy, cheesy pasta dish comes together in under 15 minutes.
What we love about this cream cheese pasta
- This is one of the quickest pasta recipes. From start to finish, it should only take about 12 minutes. It is the ultimate of last minute meals, or as we called them growing up “hurry ups”.
- This is an extra-budget friendly meal, even if you toss in a few veggies it still won’t break the bank!
- Customize it – Try adding broccoli florets or some sundried tomatoes. You can toss in some leftover chicken, let the contents of your fridge guide you!
Here’s what you’ll need to make it
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- Cream cheese – If you are cooking with this straight out of the fridge, soften it in the microwave.
- Pecorino romano – You can substitute a grated parmesan or romano cheese. Our favorite brand of pecorino romano is Locatelli.
- Spaghetti – Any type of pasta will go with this sauce, just make sure to follow the package instructions to al denté.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
How to make this cream cheese pasta recipe
Cook the pasta. Follow instructions on package, cooking pasta to al denté. Reserve at least ½ cup of pasta water before draining pasta. Set pasta water aside, you will add this to the sauce.
Make the sauce. Heat butter in a large skillet. Sauté garlic in butter until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Whisk in lemon juice, basil and parsley. Add the softened cream cheese, continuing to whisk. When cream cheese is melted through, add pecorino romano cheese. Whisk until well incorporated.
Add the pasta water. Begin adding pasta water, about 1-2 tablespoons at a time, until cream cheese sauce reaches desired consistency. We used a full ½ cup of pasta water to reach the creamy texture we have for this recipe.
Stir pasta into sauce. Combine pasta and sauce, stirring until pasta is well coated. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and grated pecorino romano cheese.
Everything you need to know about cream cheese pasta
What does pasta water to do sauce?
Pasta water retains starches that are discarded from the pasta as it cooks. When you add this to a pasta sauce, it binds the sauce to the pasta and helps thicken sauces resulting in extra creamy pasta sauce.
What is the best way to reheat cream cheese pasta?
As the pasta cools, it will absorb the sauce. Add a tablespoon or two of milk before reheating, this will reconstitute the sauce making it creamy and saucy again.
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Cream Cheese Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 ounces spaghetti
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice (or 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar)
- 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- ¼ cup pecorino romano cheese (grated)
- ½ cup pasta water (reserved)
Instructions
- Cook pasta to al denté, according to package instructions.
- Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain.
- Melt butter in a large skillet on medium heat.
- Add garlic, basil and parsley until aromatic.
- Whisk in softened cream cheese until melted.
- Continue to whisk, adding pecorino cheese until melted.
- Add pasta water to sauce, 2-3 tablespoons at a time, whisking to incorporate.
- Stir cooked pasta into sauce, stirring until pasta is well coated.
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