15-Minute Garlic Parmesan Pasta (Printable Version)

Silky garlic-Parmesan ditalini pasta, creamy and ready in 15 minutes, ideal for quick weeknight meals.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz ditalini pasta
02 - 6 1/4 cups water
03 - 1 tsp salt

→ Sauce

04 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
05 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
06 - 7 fl oz heavy cream
07 - 3 1/2 fl oz whole milk
08 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
09 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Cheese & Finish

10 - 3 oz finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
11 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt and ditalini pasta. Cook following package instructions until al dente, stirring occasionally. Reserve 3.5 fl oz of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
02 - In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant without browning.
03 - Pour in the heavy cream and whole milk. Stir to blend, then bring to a gentle simmer.
04 - Return cooked pasta to the pot. Stir thoroughly to coat pasta evenly with the sauce.
05 - Gradually incorporate grated Parmesan while stirring constantly until fully melted and the sauce becomes creamy. Adjust consistency by adding reserved pasta water incrementally if necessary.
06 - Season with freshly ground black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
07 - Plate immediately, topping with additional Parmesan and chopped parsley as garnish.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than takeout, yet tastes like you're eating at a proper Italian trattoria.
  • The sauce clings to every piece of pasta without being heavy or one-dimensional.
  • It's the kind of dish that makes people ask for the recipe, then realize they probably have everything already.
02 -
  • Reserve the pasta water before you drain—this starchy liquid is what transforms a thick, pasty sauce into something silky and cohesive, and there's no real substitute.
  • Add the Parmesan slowly and keep stirring; if you dump it all in at once, it will clump and seize into little bits instead of melting into the sauce.
  • Don't let the cream boil aggressively or it can separate and look grainy—gentle heat is your friend here.
03 -
  • Always grate your Parmesan fresh and finely—pre-grated cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly into the sauce.
  • Use the pasta water generously; this starchy liquid is what transforms the sauce from broken and greasy into silky and cohesive, so don't be shy about adding it.
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