Go Back
–+ servings
A close-up of creamy garlic penne pasta generously coated in sauce and topped with fresh parsley.

Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta

This recipe shows you how to make a simple and creamy garlic penne pasta dish suitable for a weeknight family dinner.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta and Sauce Base
  • 12 ounces Penne pasta
  • 2 tablespoons Olive oil
  • 4 cloves Garlic minced
  • 1 cup Heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup Chicken broth low sodium preferred
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper freshly ground
Optional Garnish
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh parsley chopped

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Large skillet
  • Colander

Method
 

  1. Cook the penne pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining the pasta. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
  2. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown.
  3. Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. Let it cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
  4. Reduce the heat to low. Gradually stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth. Season with salt and black pepper.
  5. Add the drained penne pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss everything together until the pasta is fully coated. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash or two of the reserved pasta water until you reach your desired consistency.
  6. Serve the pasta immediately. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if using.

Notes

For a richer flavor, you can add 1/4 cup of dry white wine after cooking the garlic and let it reduce by half before adding the cream and broth.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!