Roasted Garlic Cream Pasta (Printable)

Al dente pasta tossed in a silky roasted garlic cream sauce and finished with freshly grated Parmesan for ultimate comfort.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 to 40 minutes until soft and golden. Allow to cool, then squeeze out roasted garlic cloves.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
03 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 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 in cream and milk, whisking to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened.
06 - Stir in Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg if using. Simmer gently until cheese melts and sauce achieves velvety consistency.
07 - Add drained pasta to sauce, tossing to coat. Add reserved pasta water one splash at a time until sauce reaches desired consistency.
08 - Plate immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The roasted garlic becomes sweet and buttery, losing all its sharpness and adding a depth that raw garlic never could.
  • Its fancy enough to serve to guests but easy enough to make on a Tuesday when youre tired.
  • The sauce clings to every strand of pasta, creating that restaurant quality coat you cant get from jarred sauces.
  • You probably have most of these ingredients already, and the whole thing comes together in under an hour.
02 -
  • Dont skip reserving the pasta water, that starchy liquid is the secret to making the sauce cling perfectly without breaking or getting greasy.
  • Roasting the garlic really does take the full 35 to 40 minutes, and if you pull it out too early the cloves will still be sharp and bitter instead of sweet.
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan, the pre shredded kind has anti caking agents that make the sauce grainy instead of smooth.
  • Keep the heat on medium or medium low once you add the cream, high heat can cause it to split or curdle.
03 -
  • Roast extra garlic bulbs while the ovens on and keep them in the fridge, theyre amazing spread on toast or stirred into soups.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks oily, take it off the heat and whisk in a spoonful of pasta water to bring it back together.
  • Taste the pasta water before you drain it, it should taste like the sea, and that saltiness is what seasons the whole dish.
  • For an even deeper flavor, add a splash of white wine to the shallots before adding the cream and let it reduce for a minute.
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