Roasted Garlic Cream Pasta (Printable version)

Al dente pasta coated in a luxurious roasted garlic cream sauce with fresh Parmesan. A comforting Italian classic.

# 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 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

# Directions:

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 35-40 minutes until soft and golden. Cool slightly, then squeeze roasted garlic cloves from skins.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside.
03 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add finely chopped shallot and sauté until softened, approximately 2 minutes.
04 - Mash roasted garlic cloves into a paste and add to the skillet. Stir continuously for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Pour cream and milk into the skillet, whisking to combine thoroughly. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.
06 - Stir in Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg if using. Simmer gently until cheese melts completely and sauce achieves a velvety texture.
07 - Add drained pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat evenly. Add reserved pasta water in small splashes until sauce reaches desired consistency.
08 - Serve immediately while hot, garnished with extra Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Roasting the garlic transforms it into something sweet and mellow, nothing like the sharp bite of raw cloves.
  • The cream sauce comes together in under ten minutes once the garlic is done, making it feel fancy without the fuss.
  • It uses pantry staples you probably already have, so no last minute grocery runs.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully with a splash of milk, which almost never happens with cream sauces.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, it's the only thing that will bring a broken or too thick sauce back to life.
  • Let the roasted garlic cool before squeezing it out or you'll burn your fingers, trust me on this one.
  • Add the Parmesan off the heat or on very low heat to prevent it from turning grainy and separating.
03 -
  • Roast extra garlic bulbs and keep them in the fridge, they're incredible on toast, stirred into soups, or mashed into butter.
  • Use a skillet large enough to toss the pasta in the sauce, it coats more evenly than transferring everything to a bowl.
  • Finish with a drizzle of good olive oil and a few flakes of sea salt just before serving, it lifts the whole dish.
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