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One Pot Creamy Garlic Pasta

One pot creamy garlic pasta delivers silky linguine coated in a glossy garlic cream sauce with parmesan melted throughout. This easy one pot pasta recipe cooks in one pot until the liquid reduces into a creamy, clinging texture—ready for a quick weeknight dinner.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Linguine or spaghetti
  • 12 oz linguine Use linguine or spaghetti; either works for twirling and sauce clinging.
Garlic base
  • 6 garlic cloves Minced so it sautés quickly and stays fragrant.
Butter for sautéing
  • 3 tbsp butter Sautéing medium to bloom the garlic.
Broth and cream
  • 2 cup chicken or vegetable broth Choose broth to match your preference; both work in the same ratio.
  • 1.5 cup heavy cream Provides the creamy sauce body as the liquid reduces.
Parmesan for the sauce
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated Stir in at the end to melt smoothly and thicken the sauce.
Seasonings
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning Adds Italian flavor to the creamy sauce.
  • 0.25 salt Season to taste; add generously for best flavor.
  • 0.25 cracked black pepper Freshly cracked for peppery aroma on top.
To serve
  • 0.25 fresh basil leaves Add basil at serving for a bright herbal finish.
  • 0.25 extra parmesan Top with additional parmesan for a melted, salty finish.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté garlic
  1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, then add the minced garlic and sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and just golden, stirring to prevent browning.
Simmer to start the creamy base
  1. Add the broth and heavy cream to the pot and bring to a gentle boil, keeping the heat steady so it doesn’t scorch or split.
Cook pasta until al dente
  1. Add the uncooked linguine and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring frequently, until al dente and the liquid has reduced into a creamy sauce that coats the noodles.
Melt parmesan and finish sauce
  1. Stir in the grated parmesan and Italian seasoning until fully melted and the sauce turns silky and glossy, with no grainy cheese bits.
Season
  1. Season generously with salt and cracked black pepper to balance the cream and make the garlic flavor pop.
Serve
  1. Serve immediately topped with fresh basil leaves and extra parmesan.

Notes

Pro tip: Stir often while the pasta simmers so the starch from the linguine helps the sauce become creamy instead of thin. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of broth or cream to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended because cream sauces can separate. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, but simmer an extra 1–2 minutes to help it thicken.