Best Easy Cream Cheese Pasta

Cream Cheese Pasta is a rich and creamy pasta dish that comes together in minutes with basic ingredients. Tender linguine pasta is coated in a silky cheesy sauce made from cream cheese, fresh garlic, and parmesan cheese. A quick weeknight dinner with minimal effort. 

Easy Cream Cheese Pasta Recipe

Cream cheese pasta is similar to your favorite Alfredo sauce but it has the addition of cream cheese – which make a rich pasta sauce that coats the linguine noodles perfectly. 

This easy pasta recipe is great for busy weeknights and the whole family will love it. Cook up some linguine pasta and while that’s cooking, make a simple creamy cheese sauce with butter, onion, fresh garlic, milk, parmesan cheese, and cream cheese. 

There is not much better than a warm pasta dish coated in a delicious sauce. Simple to make and it can be dressed up for serving (think meat or vegetables) or served as is for a hearty meatless dinner option. 

How To Make Pasta With Cream Cheese Sauce (Printable Recipe Card)

Cook the linguine pasta, in a large pot of salted water, according to the package directions. Cook to al dente or softer depending on preference. When done, drain the pasta but do not rinse it. 

In a large skillet pan, over medium heat, melt the butter and onions. Let cook until the onions are softened; about 3-4 minutes. 

Stir in the garlic cloves and cook for an additional 1 minute. 

Stir in the milk, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, kosher salt, and black pepper. Continue cooking, while stirring frequently, until the cream cheese is fully melted and the sauce has thickened. 

Toss the drained and cooked linguine into the cream cheese sauce. Serve warm & enjoy!

How To Store Leftovers

Store leftovers inside an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. To reheat, microwave leftovers until heated through, and add a splash of water, milk or broth when reheating to loosen up the sauce a bit and make it more creamy. 

Serving Suggestions For Cream Cheese Pasta

This is a quick and easy meal to fix and it pairs well with several different side dishes.

• Serve it alongside a green salad with your favorite vegetables and salad dressing. Make it really simple and buy a ready-to-use salad creation, or buy a bag of romaine lettuce and add your favorite vegetable such as cucumbers, grapes tomatoes, and carrots.
• Serve this Cheesy Garlic Bread or Easy Garlic Parmesan Garlic Knots with the cream cheese pasta. 
• Pasta is a great side dish for grilled meats such as chicken or steak. 

What Are Some Substitutions I Can Make?

• Linguine : Long pastas are the best and will hold up the best to the cream cheese sauce. Other long pastas that you can use are spaghetti noodles, fettuccine, or angel hair pasta. You could also use short pastas such as bowtie, ziti, or rotini. 
• Onion : Use a yellow onion, white onion, or sweet onion. If you prefer a less intense onion flavor try using a shallot instead. 
• Cream Cheese : Full-fat cream cheese is the best for it’s flavor and thick creamy texture. However, if you want, you could use reduced-fat cream cheese and see how you like it. 
• Whole Milk : If you want a thicker sauce try using half and half or even heavy cream. The heavy cream might make it too thick especially when paired with the cream cheese. I always use whole milk or half and half and the thickness is perfect for my family. 

Recipe FAQs

Can I Add Protein And Other Veggies To Cream Cheese Pasta?

Yes, if you would like to add a protein and/or vegetables, go ahead and add them because they would all make great additions to the dish. Make sure the protein, such as chicken or ham, is fully cooked before adding. I would also recommend that if you are adding vegetables, to buy the microwaveable veggies and cook according to package directions, and then add them into the sauce. The cook time on the sauce is not long enough to soften veggies correctly. Spinach is a good addition that will soften in the shorter cook time as it only needs a few minutes to cook. 

How Can I Prevent The Cream Cheese Sauce From Becoming Grainy?

To prevent the sauce fro becoming grainy and to keep it smooth, you do not want to overcook it or heat it too quickly. Keep the sauce on medium-low heat, stir constantly, and you will be fine and end up with a smooth sauce. Don’t turn up the heat to try and speed up the cook time, as that will just turn the sauce grainy. It also helps to use cream cheese that is closer to room temperature, or has been softened in the microwave, instead of cold cream cheese straight from the fridge. 

How Do I Keep The Pasta From Sticking Together While It Cooks?

Sometimes with the longer and thicker pastas, it can stick together and clump together, while cooking and boiling. You can add a drizzle of olive oil to the water to help prevent clumping. Also, make sure you boil the water to a rolling boil and keep it at a rolling boiling for the entire cook time. Stir the pasta frequently while it cooks to prevent sticking and clumping. 

Can I Add Some More Seasonings Or Flavor To The Sauce?

This cream cheese pasta is a quick fix meal with lots of creamy favor! But it is kind of a blank canvas for whatever you want to add if you feel like ‘spicing’ it up a bit. Add some sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, Italian seasoning, fresh basil (at the end of the cook time when serving), red pepper flakes for spice, or some fresh spinach because it cooks in just a few minutes. Just make sure that whatever you add to the sauce, that it can mix in and cook with the sauce in the short cook time given in the recipe. 

Once I Add The Pasta To The Sauce It’s Really Thick. What Should I Do?

If the dish is too thick for your preference try adding a splash of milk, some broth, or add some of the starchy pasta water to thin it out. You could also try using a lower-fat milk such as 2% to see if that helps. I have never had this problem but wanted to mention it just in case.

Try These Other Dinner Recipes With Cream Cheese

• Cream Cheese Alfredo Sauce
• Cream Cheese Lasagna
• Ziti Pasta Bake
• Cream Cheese Chicken Soup
• Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili
• Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
• Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas