Cream Cheese Pasta
If you’re short on time but still want to whip up a quick and tasty pasta dish, give Cream Cheese Pasta a try. It’s absolutely delicious!
Using just 6 basic ingredients, this creamy recipe is ready in the time it takes to cook the pasta!
Cream Cheese Pasta or Pasta con Filadelfia is a versatile and easy pasta recipe. Home late and want something quick and satisfying? Cream Cheese Pasta. Got a bunch of hungry kids to feed? Cream Cheese Pasta. Want a quiet night in with a glass of wine and a tasty dinner? Cream Cheese Pasta
Italians love Philadelphia cream cheese more than you would imagine so much so that cream cheese is known simply as “Filadelfia” in Italy. Pasta with cream cheese sauce is a favorite Italian pasta recipe with so many possible variations. I’m positive it will become your go-to recipe too!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Quick and Easy: This Cream Cheese Pasta recipe is fast! Faster than my Pasta with Peas. In less than 15 minutes, the whole meal is ready. It’s perfect for busy weeknights or when you need a fast but satisfying meal.
- Creamy Comfort Food: Rich and luxurious, this Cream Cheese Pasta sauce is just like my Garlic Parmesan Sauce and indulges the craving for creamy smooth comfort food.
- Crowd Pleaser: Here is a family favorite that ensures clean plates every time you serve this dish. Both adults and kids love the cheesy flavor. Include some Garlic Ciabatta Bread to complete the meal.
- Versatile: Customize this recipe to suit your family or clean out your fridge. Add vegetables, protein, or herbs that you know your family will enjoy. Easy Cream Cheese Pasta can be adapted in so many ways!
- Few Ingredients: With a handful of ingredients, you can have a meal on the table at short notice which is great for unexpected visitors.
For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Ingredients
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: There’s no need to buy the top-quality EVO. In fact, use whatever olive oil you have in the pantry.
- Garlic Cloves: Fresh is best for flavor in this recipe
- Cream Cheese: Philadelphia cream cheese is exactly what you need for this recipe.
- Spaghetti: Dried good quality spaghetti is usually available at most grocery stores.
- Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese: Or Parmesan Cheese. Buy a block and grate it at home for best results. The pre-grated cheese has additives to help it stop clumping but this also stops the cheese from melting.
- Parsley: Fresh herbs are the ideal choice. Dried parsley doesn’t have a lot of flavor.
- Salt and Black Pepper: Be sure to taste and adjust with extra seasoning if needed.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Fill a pot with water, place it on the stove, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add salt and pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente.
While the pasta cooks, pour extra virgin olive oil into a pan. Peel and mince the garlic, adding it to the oil.
Heat the pan over medium heat until the garlic becomes fragrant. Then scoop ⅓ cup of pasta cooking water and add it to the garlic and oil mixture.
Stir in the cream cheese and mix until it melts.
Then, add the grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, salt, and black pepper, stirring to combine.
Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Stir to combine, adding more pasta water if needed. Remove from heat and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Marcellina’s Hint: Use a whisk to help the cream cheese melt and blend into the pasta water if necessary.
Substitutions
- Spaghetti – Use penne or fusilli or another pasta that you prefer.
- Garlic Cloves – Substitute jarred, minced garlic, or powdered garlic if you don’t have any fresh garlic.
- Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese – Instead of grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (or grated Parmesan Cheese) try Pecorino romano or another cheese of your choice.
Variations
- Tomato Cream Cheese Pasta – Add a small punnet of halved cherry tomatoes and a tablespoon or 2 of tomato puree to the oil and minced garlic in step 3 of the recipe card below.
- Pasta with Peas and Ham – Add some sliced ham and frozen peas to the sauce before adding the pasta.
- Spicy – Add ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the sauce before adding the cooked pasta.
Storage
Any leftover pasta can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge. Reheat on the stove in a saucepan over low-medium heat. The pasta will absorb the sauce and might be a little dry. In this case, add a splash of milk and heat until just simmering and heated through.
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Top tip
- Cream Cheese Pasta is such a simple dish with basic ingredients so there’s not a lot that can go wrong. This is almost a fail-safe recipe. However, there are a couple of points to remember.
- This is a super fast recipe. The sauce is ready in the time it takes to cook the pasta so the first thing to do is bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. While you wait for the water to boil gather the required ingredients. Once the pasta is added to the boiling water, begin the sauce.
- Be sure to add the minced garlic to a cold pan. The garlic will burn very easily if added to an already hot pan. Heat the pan containing the oil and minced garlic slowly so that the garlic releases its fragrance and flavor.
- The cream cheese will take a little time to melt. Use a whisk to amalgamate the ingredients.
- Always taste the food! Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning according to your taste. If you know you prefer less salt, start with half the amount I suggest.
- Cook the pasta until just al dente. Instructions on the packet are usually quite good but tasting it is the only way to know for certain. Remember to reserve a cup or so of the pasta water before draining the pasta. It may not all be needed but that starchy pasta water is good to have.
FAQ
Yes, Philadelphia cream cheese heats very well. There is no problem with it curdling or splitting.
While cream cheese will provide a tangier flavor than heavy cream, it’s a great substitution for cream in pasta recipes. Cream cheese has a longer shelf life so it’s great to keep on hand when you want to add creaminess to pasta but don’t have heavy cream.
Cream cheese pasta does reheat quite well. However, because the sauce will have been absorbed into the pasta, it may be a bit dry. For best results, heat in a pan on the stove over medium-low heat. A splash of milk or cream will bring it back to the luscious, creaminess that you’re looking for.
Serving Suggestions
Cream Cheese Pasta can be served as a quick family meal on busy weeknights with a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. However, this pasta dish is tasty enough to be part of dinner with friends. Begin with Peperonata and Grissini and follow the pasta with a fresh and zingy salad like Orange Fennel Salad.
Related
Mushroom Ravioli
Truffled Pasta
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Ingredients
- 16 ounces (450 grams) spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 8 ounces (225 grams) full-fat cream cheese ( Philadelphia type)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
- chopped parsley
Instructions
- Let’s start preparing the pasta, pour water into a pot, put on the stove and bring to a boil. As soon as it starts to boil, add salt and the pasta, cook it according to the time indicated on the package and in any case al dente.
- In the meantime, pour the extra virgin olive oil into a pan. Then peel and mince the garlic into the oil.
- Place the pan over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant.
- When the garlic starts to smell really delicious, scoop up ⅓ cup of pasta water and add to the oil and garlic in the pan.
- Add the cream cheese and stir to melt the cheese.
- Add the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (Parmesan cheese), salt, and black pepper and mix to amalgamate.
- Drain the pasta reserving a cup or so of the pasta water. Add the cooked pasta. Stir well to combine and add some reserved pasta water if necessary.
- Remove from the heat and add a sprinkling of chopped parsley.
- Serve the pasta very hot.
Nutritional Estimate Per Serving
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For accurate results, it is recommended that the nutritional information be calculated based on the ingredients and brands you use.
