Creamy Sauce Pasta Delight (Printable View)
Velvety cream sauce blended with al dente pasta for a rich, comforting main.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz dried pasta (fettuccine or penne)
02 - 1 tablespoon salt (for boiling water)
→ Creamy Sauce
03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
06 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
07 - 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
08 - 2 oz grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
12 - Zest of 1/2 lemon (optional)
13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
# Cooking Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and chopped shallot; sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
03 - Pour in heavy cream while stirring constantly. Allow to simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened.
04 - Stir in grated Parmesan, black pepper, salt, and nutmeg. Continue stirring until cheese melts fully and sauce becomes smooth.
05 - Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat evenly. Adjust sauce consistency by adding reserved pasta water gradually if needed.
06 - Stir in lemon zest and fresh parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly.
07 - Plate immediately, optionally garnished with additional Parmesan and parsley.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Ready in 30 minutes but tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
- Works with whatever pasta shape lives in your pantry and feels elegant enough for guests.
- The sauce comes together in one skillet, which means less cleanup and more time to breathe.
02 -
- Don't let the cream boil vigorously or it will break and separate into greasy, watery patches instead of staying silky and smooth—medium heat is your friend.
- Tossing the pasta in the sauce rather than pouring sauce over drained pasta makes the difference between a dressed dish and one where every bite tastes the same.
- Reserve that pasta water before draining—it's the only thing standing between a thick glop and a proper sauce, and I learned this the hard way.
03 -
- Grate your Parmesan fresh from a block, never from a shaker—the starch added to pre-grated cheese makes it grainy in cream, and that one choice makes the difference between something lumpy and something luxurious.
- Don't skip the lemon zest; it's optional on paper but essential in practice, the thing that keeps cream from becoming cloying and makes this dish feel bright rather than heavy.