Creamy Meal Pasta Sauce (Printable)
A rich Italian-inspired cream sauce with garlic and Parmesan, ready in 25 minutes for comforting pasta dishes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dairy
01 - 1 cup heavy cream
02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
→ Vegetables
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
→ Seasonings
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
08 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
09 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
# How To Make It:
01 - Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
02 - Add minced garlic and chopped shallot. Sauté for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
03 - Pour in heavy cream, stirring gently to combine.
04 - Bring mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Do not boil.
05 - Stir in grated Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth.
06 - Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir to combine.
07 - Remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Toss immediately with cooked pasta and garnish with fresh parsley.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in under 15 minutes but tastes like it simmered for hours
- It transforms basic pasta into something restaurant-worthy without any fancy techniques
- Leftovers actually reheat beautifully for lunch the next day
02 -
- Heavy cream can break if boiled too vigorously, so keep it at a gentle simmer
- The sauce continues thickening off heat, so remove it slightly earlier than you think
- Room temperature cream incorporates more smoothly than cold straight from the fridge
03 -
- Grate your own Parmesan for the smoothest result
- Room temperature ingredients prevent the sauce from separating