Ultra creamy, this Garlic Parmesan Pasta is the perfect easy comfort food dinner. It's a meatless meal, but you can add chicken or shrimp which both pair well with this pasta. Picture a silky smooth Alfredo pasta but with some depth of flavor from garlic and a hint of fresh parsley. This recipe calls for gluten-free pasta, but it can be made with any pasta of your choice. Fresh pasta makes the perfect indulgence in this case.
1/2cupfreshly grated parmesan cheeseplus more for serving
chopped fresh parsleyoptional see notes
sea salt and black pepper to taste
12ounces100% brown rice gluten free pastaor regular pasta, I love using fettucini and linguine in this recipe.
Optional: fresh herbs to taste 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary or thyme added with the garlic, or 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil added in at the end.
Instructions
Start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.
Place a large saucepan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the butter and minced garlic. If you use the optional rosemary or thyme, add them here. If you use delicate herbs like basil, add them at the end with the parmesan.
Sauté the garlic just until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add the white wine to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil and then simmer until the wine is almost gone.
When the pot of water has come to a boil, salt it well, 1-2 tbsp, and add the pasta. Stir occasionally while boiling to keep it from sticking and cook while you finish the sauce.
Next, add the heavy cream to the garlic mixture, and bring the sauce to a boil, be careful you don't let it boil over. Reduce the heat and simmer just until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and is lightly thickened about 8 minutes.
When the pasta is al dente, reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta. Add the pasta back to the pan and pour the lightly thickened cream sauce over the top, simmer while tossing it together.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese. Add reserved cooking water as necessary to thin the sauce.
Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper and serve the pasta with additional grated parmesan cheese.
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Notes
The chopped fresh parsley adds a fresh flavor and bright color, but I omit it if I use the other optional herbs listed in the recipe.White wine adds a nice depth of flavor, but if you don’t want to use it, try adding freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste after you add the parmesan cheese, about 1-2 tbsp.