Description
Cream cheese pasta is a quick creamy dinner made with simple pantry ingredients. The sauce forms by melting cream cheese and butter with starchy pasta water, creating a smooth comforting pasta ready in about 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 tablespoon butter softened
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1–2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup reserved hot pasta water
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions
- Reserve 1 cup of hot pasta water before draining the pasta
- Return the drained pasta to the warm pot
- Add softened cream cheese and butter then cover the pot for about 1 minute
- Remove the lid and add garlic powder onion powder crushed red pepper flakes Italian seasoning and parsley
- Add about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water and begin tossing the pasta
- Gradually add more pasta water while tossing until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately
Notes
- Recipe serves 2 to 4 depending on portion size
- Adjust herbs and spices to taste
- Fresh grated parmesan can be added for extra flavor
- Add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup parmesan with the cream cheese and butter
- Best served immediately while the sauce is creamy
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 380
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Unsaturated Fat: 7
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 11
- Cholesterol: 55