The BEST Cream Cheese Pasta Recipe in 15 minutes.

A skillet with wooden spoon mixing in the cream cheese sauce with the spaghetti and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.

5 from 2 votes

The BEST Cream Cheese Pasta Recipe in 15 minutes.

This is the creamy, filling and cozy cream cheese pasta makes everybody happy, perfect for any midweek carb cravings. Plus, it's budget-friendly and ready in a flash!

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Main Course Pasta, pasta dish - side

Cuisine: American-Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 558kcal

Author: Marisa Franca @ All Our Way

Equipment

Ingredients

1 lb spaghetti 450 grams (penne, fusilli, etc.)
1 ½ cup cream cheese 337.5 grams ( 1½ 8 oz. package)
½ cup grated parmesan 60 grams plus more to serve
2 tablespoon olive oil plus more to serve
3 garlic cloves minced or pressed
1 cup pasta cooking water 240 ml plus more if needed
salt and pepper to taste
¾ teaspoon chili flakes divided and according to taste (optional)
Italian parsley chopped for sprinkling on top

Instructions

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. ** See notes.
Right before draining, reserve a 1 ½ cup of starchy pasta water.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet warm 2 tablespoon of olive oil and gently fry the garlic (plus a good pinch of chili flakes if you like) for 2-3 minutes. Use a low flame, do not let the garlic burn.
Then stir the cream cheese and about 1 cup of starchy pasta water. Stir to combine oil, cream cheese, water and create a nice and creamy emulsion. Add parmesan cheese and stir well. Your pasta sauce is ready.
Drain and add your pasta to the skillet. Stir well to evenly coat the pasta in the sauce, add more cooking water as needed for a smooth and creamy consistency.
Serve immediately with a drizzle of good olive oil or extra virgin olive oil, freshly grated parmesan, and freshly ground black pepper (if you don't use chili flakes). A light sprinkle of fresh Italian parsley Enjoy!

Notes

This recipe will make 4 huge plates of pasta or 6 smaller ones. We used the nutritional information for the 6 servings.

I love using Philadelphia Cream Cheese because it always creates a creamy result, but you can use another brand.

When cooking the pasta, make sure to follow the package directions and cook it al dente, which means it's cooked but still has a bit of firmness to it. This will prevent the pasta from becoming too mushy when mixed with the sauce.

When draining the pasta, reserve about a cup of the pasta cooking water. This starchy water can be used to thin out the cream cheese sauce and help it coat the pasta evenly.

Before mixing the cream cheese with the other ingredients, make sure to soften it to room temperature. This will make it easier to mix and will prevent lumps in the sauce.

To ensure a smooth and creamy sauce, use a whisk or an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and other ingredients together.

When adding ingredients to the sauce, such as grated cheese or herbs, add them gradually and taste the sauce as you go. This will help you adjust the flavor to your liking and prevent over-seasoning.

Cream cheese pasta is best served immediately after cooking, as the sauce can thicken and become less creamy as it cools. If you need to reheat leftovers, be sure to add a splash of milk or broth to loosen up the sauce.

***Salting Pasta Water: We don not recommend using iodized table salt to the pasta water. We believe it gives the pasta a tinny, artificial salt. We use kosher salt for the pasta water.

If you're using the Diamond brand Kosher salt, use 2 Tablespoons per gallon of water.

If you're using Morton kosher salt use 4 teaspoons salt per gallon of water.

Nutrition