You can have this easy garlic parmesan pasta recipe on the dinner table in just 20 minutes! A quick & easy weeknight dinner recipe that everyone will love. This is my family’s most loved & requested recipe.
EASY PASTA RECIPE
Are you ready for the easiest, most kid-friendly pasta dinner recipe ever?!
This my friends is without a doubt the most requested dinner at my house. My kids eat the entire pound of pasta when I make this. Pair it with a green salad that’s loaded with their favorite veggies, and I am one happy momma cause they actually eat without a fight.
I always add a box of pasta and a wedge of parmesan cheese to my grocery list because if I just don’t feel like making dinner, or we’re running short on time then this easy parmesan pasta recipe will be made!
This recipe was one of the first ones I posted to this blog of mine. I figured that I wanted to republish it so more people can see it. Because it really is a tried & true family favorite.
Forgive the very white photos. A white pasta is pretty much the hardest thing to take an appetizing photo of 🙂
MY TIPS FOR MAKING EASY GARLIC PARMESAN PASTA
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare the creamy white sauce, then when the pasta is done you just combine them together and dinner is ready.
- Use any pasta you want! I will say that the larger pasta do much better in this dish. Like rigatoni pasta, rotini pasta, penne pasta. I usually always use rigatoni pasta because my kids love the shape of it and it’s large so it holds all the sauce well. Rotini is another one we use often.
- I always use the garlic paste that comes in the tube. You’ll find in the refrigerated produce area of the grocery store. Super easy because you don’t have to get a cutting board out to peel garlic. Just squeeze it in and you’re done.
- I have made this with all milks. Skim milk all the way to half & half milk. They all work fine. The higher fat percentage milk will thicken up more quickly. But that’s about the only difference. So use the milk that you prefer or whatever is in the fridge which is what I do.
- PLEASE use a parmesan cheese wedge and shred it yourself. It makes a huge difference. I would not recommend getting the pre-shredded parmesan cheese as it does not melt nicely into the sauce. You end up with a gritty sauce that is not smooth. A wedge of parmesan cheese is about the same price as the pre-shredded bagged stuff, so buy the wedge.
- This is definitely filling enough as a meal. Add a green salad and maybe some garlic bread and you’re set. It also makes a really great side dish too. Maybe with some steak or chicken.
Easy Garlic Parmesan Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 box (1 lb) large shaped pasta (like rigatoni, penne, rotini)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed (I use garlic paste)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup milk (I use 2% or whole)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese (grate your own from a wedge)
Instructions
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Cook pasta according to package directions. Salt the water so you don't have bland pasta. I add about 1 teaspoon salt into the boiling water with the pasta.
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In a sauce pan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook and stir for 30 seconds. Add the flour and stir with a whisk for 30 seconds. It will be a thick paste. That's ok.
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While whisking, slowly add in the chicken broth, milk, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook for several minutes until mixture has thickened. Careful not to let this boil and burn. Lower the heat if needed. You don't have to stir constantly, but you should stir very often.
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Once sauce is thickened, take off the heat and add in the dried parsley and shredded parmesan cheese. Let melt and then stir together to combine.
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Drain the pasta but DO NOT rinse it. Add the creamy sauce to the cooked pasta and stir together. Serve!
Recipe Notes
** It helps a lot to have everything ready to go before you start making the sauce. It does go pretty quickly. Measure out the flour, spices, and combine the liquid together into a 2 cup glass measuring cup, and have the parmesan cheese already shredded. That way everything is ready to go. **
I don't really ever measure the parmesan cheese. I buy the 5 oz wedge and it's a little more then 1 cup shredded. I just add it all in.
Any milk will work. The higher fat percentage the faster the sauce will thicken. I have used skim milk with great results too.
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