Oh, my friend, if you need a hug in a bowl—a true taste of Italian comfort that comes together faster than you can decide which Netflix show to watch—then you’ve found the right spot! When I first started navigating gluten-free cooking, recreating my grandmother’s rich sauces felt impossible. But after tons of trial and error in my kitchen, I perfected this Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta. It’s so rich and satisfying; you won’t believe how simple it is. This recipe truly honors my roots, and as a Gluten-Free Culinary Storyteller, I’m so excited to share these treasured methods with you! You can learn more about my journey right here.
As Elena Brown, I promise this is the easy, flavorful, and deeply comforting Italian dish you’ve been searching for. It’s pure magic!
Why This Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta is Your New Weeknight Favorite
Honestly, if a dish isn’t quick enough for a Tuesday, I probably won’t make it consistently! What I adore about this Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta is that it tastes like it simmered all day, but it’s truly ready in about 25 minutes total. That’s why this one gets filed right under my must-have comfort food pasta selections.
- It sails under the radar as one of the best 20 minute meals you can whip up!
- It requires just one big saucepan (plus the pasta pot), meaning cleanup is a breeze.
- The flavor payoff is huge—it’s rich, cheesy, and deeply garlicky without being fussy.
Quick Preparation for Busy Evenings
You barely have to chop anything! Prep time is only about ten minutes because we’re just mincing a bit of garlic. While that pasta is boiling away, you are already building the foundation of that gorgeous sauce. It moves so fast you’ll wonder why you ever ordered takeout.
Rich Flavor Profile: The Ultimate Creamy Pasta Recipe
The texture is everything here. It’s thick, velvety, and clings perfectly to every piece of penne. It’s truly the ultimate creamy pasta recipe without needing heavy cream—we build that lusciousness using broth and milk combined with high-quality Parmesan. That sharp, salty Parmesan mixed with the sweet slow-cooked garlic makes this unbelievably addictive.
Gathering Ingredients for Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta
Alright, let’s talk ingredients! For a simple Italian-inspired dish like this, the quality of what you pull out of the pantry really shouts louder than any fancy technique. Remember, we are aiming for that rich mouthfeel, so we need good fats and good cheese. Don’t skimp on the Parm—it melts right into our sauce and gives it that essential salty bite we need!
I always lay out everything before I start heating the pan; it keeps the cooking process smooth, especially when we’re moving fast. Check out everything you’ll need below. You can explore a few other fantastic ideas for this pasta over at this link if you’re curious, but trust me, sticking to this list is worth it!
Pasta and Sauce Base Ingredients
This is the backbone of our meal. You need the starch to carry that sauce!
- 16 ounces penne pasta (that’s about 4 cups, just roughing it is fine!)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (don’t switch to oil here, the butter flavor is key)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (Fresh is non-negotiable, please!)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (This is what makes our sauce nice and thick)
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup chicken broth (If you only have water, use it, but broth adds depth!)
Flavor Builders: Cheese and Seasonings for Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta
Here’s where the magic happens; make sure your Parmesan is ready to go!
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese (Seriously, grate it yourself if you want that smooth melt!)
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- Garlic salt with parsley flakes, to taste (Keep tasting as you go!)
- Pepper, to taste
- (Optional!) 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (This just makes it extra gooey, which is never a bad idea.)
Expert Tips for Perfect Garlic Parmesan Penne Sauce
So, you’ve got your ingredients ready, fantastic! Now we need to treat them right so you don’t end up with a clumpy mess instead of that beautiful, velvety coating. When I figured out how to get a perfect, smooth sauce every time—that signature texture of authentic garlic parmesan penne—it changed the game for me. Trust me on these two crucial steps; they separate the restaurant-quality sauce from the sad imitation!
Building the Roux: Preventing Lumps in Your Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta
This is where the flour and butter do their dance—we call this the roux! You melt that butter, toss in your minced garlic until it smells heavenly for just a minute—don’t let it burn, please!—and *then* you stir in the flour.
You absolutely must cook that flour for a full minute before adding any liquid. This cooks out the raw flour taste. Then, here’s the real trick: pour in the milk and broth slowly while whisking like your life depends on it! Slow additions and constant whisking guarantee a smooth base for our Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta.
Achieving Maximum Cheese Melt
This is one of my nonna’s rules for any cheese sauce: the heat kills the creamy texture if you’re not careful! Once your sauce is thick and coats the back of a spoon—that’s when you take the whole saucepan off the burner. Seriously, turn the heat completely off. Let it cool down for just thirty seconds.
Now, stir in that glorious Parmesan cheese. If you add high-quality cheese while the sauce is boiling hot, the proteins tighten up, and you get that stiff, grainy texture. Off the heat, it melts slowly and stays beautifully silken when tossed with the pasta.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta
Okay, this is where action happens! Since a truly great creamy pasta recipe hinges on timing, I like to start the water boiling for the pasta before I even touch the butter. Moving efficiently means we get dinner on the table fast, just like that lovely 20 minute meals promise!
Cooking the Penne Pasta
Get a large pot of salted water boiling fiercely. Toss in your 16 ounces of penne and cook it exactly according to the package directions until it is just perfectly al dente. This is important because it keeps cooking a little bit when it hits that hot sauce.
Now, here is a nonna trick: Before you pour anything out, scoop out about a half cup of that starchy pasta water and set it aside! Even though we are using chicken broth for flavor, that reserved starchy water is insurance; it’s magic for thinning the sauce if it ends up too thick.
Creating the Thickened Cream Sauce Base
While the pasta is steaming away, go straight to that big saucepan over medium heat. Melt your 3 tablespoons of butter. Add your 2 teaspoons of minced garlic and stir it gently for about 60 seconds until it’s super fragrant—watch it closely so it doesn’t brown and get bitter!
Next, throw in the 3 tablespoons of flour. Stir that mixture—the roux—constantly for one full minute, just like we talked about avoiding lumps! Then, slowly, slowly, add your 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of chicken broth, whisking constantly. Let this simmer gently (don’t let it boil over!) for about 5 minutes until it has noticeably thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Combining and Finishing the Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta
Once that sauce is properly thickened and off the heat, quickly stir in your 1 cup of Parmesan cheese, the parsley, garlic salt, and pepper until everything is gloriously smooth. If you’re using that optional mozzarella, stir it in now, too!
Finally, drain your pasta well (but remember that reserved water!) and dump the whole batch right into the sauce pan. Toss everything together gently until every piece of penne is coated beautifully in that rich, velvety sauce. If it looks a touch too tight, pour in a splash of that reserved pasta water until it flows perfectly. Serve this amazing Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta immediately while it’s hot!
Making This Creamy Pasta Recipe Heartier
Now, listen, while this absolutely wonderful, classic Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta is perfect on its own for a quick dinner, sometimes you need something a little more substantial on the plate, right? That’s where we get creative! This base is so sturdy, it handles additions like a champ. You can throw in almost anything without ruining that luxurious texture. It’s really the perfect staple creamy pasta recipe for expanding!
Protein Additions for a Full Meal
If you want to turn this into a feast that sticks to your ribs, protein is the way to go. The recipe notes mentioned a few ideas, and I highly recommend them. Toss in some leftover grilled chicken you had from last night—just dice it up small.
Or, if you’re feeling fancy, pan-sear some shrimp quickly until they are just pink, and dump them right into the sauce with the pasta at the very end. You can even crumble up some cooked chicken sausage or add diced ham when you mix everything together. It absorbs that garlic cream sauce like a sponge!
Vegetable Boosts for Balance
We all need a little green on our plate, don’t we? Because we are moving so fast, you need veggies that cook quickly or that you can just toss in raw to wilt. Steamed broccoli florets are my all-time favorite addition right here—they absorb the sauce beautifully.
If you keep spinach on hand, that’s a no-brainer! Throw a huge handful right into the hot sauce mixture the second you take it off the heat; the residual warmth will wilt it perfectly in about 30 seconds without overcooking anything else. Quick, easy, and suddenly you feel a little healthier about that extra spoonful of Parmesan!
Storage and Reheating Instructions for Leftover Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta
Look, this Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta is so good you might actually have leftovers—and that’s a win! When you save it, tuck it tight into an airtight container. It zips up nicely in the fridge for about three to four days. I’ve even frozen it, and it holds up well for a couple of months, which is great for emergency dinner nights!
Now for reheating. When you pull it out, it’s going to look stiff and maybe a little clumpy; that’s just the starch grabbing onto the liquid! Don’t panic or add water. Instead, put a splash—maybe a tablespoon or two—of extra milk or even a little broth into the saucepan before heating it slowly on the stove. If using the microwave, just stir in a tiny bit of extra milk and heat in 30-second bursts, stirring in between, until it flows smoothly again. It tastes just as amazing the next day!
Frequently Asked Questions About Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta
I get so many questions about adaptations for this dish! It’s wonderful how many of you are falling in love with this quick, flavorful pasta. Since I developed this recipe specifically with ingredient flexibility in mind—especially coming from a gluten-free background—I wanted to tackle a few of the most common things folks ask me about making this perfect garlic parmesan penne. If you ever want to reach out with more questions, feel free to contact me right here!
Can I make this Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta gluten-free?
Oh, absolutely! This is my specialty, after all! My whole journey started because I needed a gluten-free version of my grandmother’s dishes. You can use any gluten-free penne pasta you find! Whether it’s rice-based or corn-based, it holds the sauce beautifully. Since the sauce itself relies on a roux (flour + butter), if you are strictly celiac, you’ll need to swap that 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour for a good quality gluten-free blend or even cornstarch mixed with a tiny bit of cold water added at the end. But honestly, using GF penne is usually the only swap needed to enjoy this version of Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta!
What if I don’t have chicken broth for this creamy pasta recipe?
Don’t sweat it if your pantry is low on broth! The chicken broth really just adds a little foundational savory note to this creamy pasta recipe, but it’s not absolutely essential. Your best bet is definitely swapping it 1:1 with vegetable broth—that keeps the flavor profile vegetarian-friendly and very similar.
If you are completely out of broth, just use water. Be generous with your salt and garlic salt, though! The flavor will be slightly cleaner, but still wonderfully garlicky. You might just need to whisk a little longer to get that full thickness before adding the cheese.
How can I make this a spicier garlic parmesan penne?
If you like watching my kitchen smoke a little bit, I love adding heat! To make this a spicier garlic parmesan penne, you have two easy options. First, and my favorite way, is to add about a half teaspoon of red pepper flakes right at the very beginning, along with your minced garlic. Cook them gently in the butter for those 60 seconds. This infuses the entire sauce with a lovely background heat.
Alternatively, if you like a sharper finish, add a small sprinkle of cayenne pepper right when you’re adding your final seasonings before the cheese melts in. It gives it a nice little kick right at the end!
Estimated Nutritional Data for Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta
Because we are dealing with creamy sauces and cheese, I always look at this part with a big smile, knowing it’s worth every single bite! Remember, these numbers are just an estimate for one serving out of four. If you use heavy cream instead of milk, or load up on that mozzarella, the numbers will absolutely shift! We’re sticking closely to the recipe amounts here, so use this data as a rough guide for your lovely comfort food pasta.
- Calories: Roughly 191 (Wow, that’s low!)
- Fat: Approximately 14g
- Carbohydrates: Around 8g
- Protein: About 9g
It’s amazing how such a rich, satisfying dish comes together so simply!
Share Your Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta Creations
That’s it! You’ve made a restaurant-quality bowl of Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta right there in your own kitchen. I hope it smells as incredible as mine does right now!
I truly want to know how it turned out for you. Did you add broccoli? Did you use fresh basil instead of parsley? When you enjoy this dreamy bowl of comfort, please don’t keep it a secret! Come back here and leave a star rating right below the recipe card—it helps other home cooks know this recipe is worth making.
If you snapped a picture of your beautiful, cheesy creation, tag me on social media! Seeing your family enjoy these dishes, especially if you’re adapting them for dietary needs, honestly makes my day. Happy cooking, and enjoy that amazing Italian comfort!
You can sneak a peek at more of my favorite baked goods and family favorites over at my main recipe index!
Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Cook the penne pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more.
- Add the milk and broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce boils and thickens, which takes about 5 minutes.
- Add the parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic salt, and pepper. Keep stirring until the cheese has melted completely.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir to combine everything well. Add the mozzarella cheese, if using, and stir until it melts. Serve the pasta warm.
Nutrition
Notes
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Gluten-Free Culinary Storyteller & Recipe Heritage Specialist
Getting diagnosed with non-celiac gluten sensitivity in my late twenties felt like losing my Italian identity. Growing up in nonna’s Brooklyn kitchen, learning traditional techniques that suddenly became off-limits—I decided to fight for those family food traditions instead of giving up.
With my food journalism background and European baking training, I became obsessed with recreating authentic flavors in gluten-free formats. I’ve adapted 400+ traditional recipes from various cultures, with my gnocchi recipe winning “Recipe of the Year” from the National Gluten-Free Living Awards in 2022.
I collaborate with the Italian-American Cultural Center to document traditional family recipes and volunteer with the Westchester Celiac Support Group, teaching monthly pasta-making classes.
Food is the heart of family storytelling. No one should sacrifice their cultural heritage due to dietary restrictions.