Name: Easy Creamy Pasta Recipes with a Cream Cheese Twist
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 8 oz pasta (like spaghetti or penne); 1 tablespoon butter; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 4 oz cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup milk; 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese; Salt & pepper, to taste; Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional); Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Jump to Recipe

Let’s face it, we’ve all had those evenings when the fridge looks like a barren wasteland and your motivation to cook has packed its bags. That’s where this easy creamy pasta recipe comes in. This pasta is lush, rich, and comforting in a way only cream cheese can manage. It clings to spaghetti like a warm hug and honestly? It might make you forget about takeout. Whether you’ve got chicken to toss in, a can of tomatoes begging for attention, or just want it plain, this base recipe is flexible enough to handle it. I made it last week after a long day, tossed in leftover grilled chicken, and my family devoured it like I was hiding a secret ingredient (spoiler: it was just garlic and a dash of sass). Trust me, once you taste how creamy and smooth this sauce is, you’ll add it to your weeknight rotation in no time.

1) Key Takeaways
2) Easy Cream Cheese Pasta Recipe
3) Ingredients for Cream Cheese Pasta
4) How to Make Cream Cheese Pasta
5) Tips for Making Cream Cheese Pasta
6) Making Cream Cheese Pasta Ahead of Time
7) Storing Leftover Cream Cheese Pasta
8) Try these pasta recipes next!
9) Cream Cheese Pasta Recipe
10) Nutrition

1) Key Takeaways

This pasta recipe is creamy, fast, and satisfying.
Perfect for weeknights or lazy weekends.
Easy to customize with extras like chicken, spinach, or tomatoes.
Main ingredient? Cream cheese. Yes, seriously.

2) Easy Cream Cheese Pasta Recipe

Let me just say it. This easy creamy pasta recipe is pure gold when you’re hungry, tired, and not in the mood to overthink dinner. I mean, who decided that comfort food needed to take an hour and a half? Not me.

We’re talking creamy pasta with cream cheese that somehow tastes fancy, even if you made it in joggers with yesterday’s hair still doing its own thing. It’s smooth, velvety, and ridiculously forgiving. Don’t have milk? Use broth. Out of parmesan? Just skip it or use cheddar. It’ll still hug your soul.

I love a good shortcut, and cream cheese is my not-so-secret weapon here. This sauce doesn’t need flour or heavy cream or even a blender. Just a saucepan, a whisk, and a little confidence. The best part? You can go from pantry to plate in under 20 minutes. That’s faster than finding a matching sock.

3) Ingredients for Cream Cheese Pasta

8 oz pasta: Spaghetti, penne, rotini, whatever shape you like or have. I grab whatever’s on sale and roll with it.

1 tablespoon butter: Just enough to give a little richness and help sauté the garlic.

3 cloves garlic, minced: It’s not optional. It’s garlic. Your kitchen should smell like something delicious is about to happen.

4 oz cream cheese: The star. Room temperature works best, but I’ve definitely thrown it in cold before. It melts, promise.

1/2 cup milk: This helps thin the sauce so it coats every noodle like it means it.

1/4 cup grated parmesan: Nutty, salty, sharp. You can skip it, but don’t blame me if it tastes less magical.

Salt and pepper: Just taste and tweak as you go. You’re in charge here.

Pinch of red pepper flakes: Totally optional, but adds a little kick that makes things interesting.

Fresh parsley: For garnish. Or not. No one’s judging if you skip it.

4) How to Make Cream Cheese Pasta

Step 1: Boil your pasta in salted water. You want it al dente—firm but not crunchy. Drain and set it aside while you work some magic on the sauce.

Step 2: In a large skillet, melt the butter and let the garlic cook just until it smells amazing—like 30 seconds. Don’t let it burn. You’ll know if it did.

Step 3: Add in the cream cheese and let it melt down a bit. It’ll look a little odd at first, but keep going. This is the creamy pasta sauce you want.

Step 4: Slowly whisk in the milk. Go easy so you don’t get lumps. Stir until smooth and silky.

Step 5: Sprinkle in the parmesan and stir until it’s melted into the sauce. Taste it. Now add salt, pepper, maybe those red pepper flakes.

Step 6: Toss in the cooked pasta and stir until every noodle is coated. Serve it up hot with parsley if you like things fancy.

5) Tips for Making Cream Cheese Pasta

If your cream cheese is cold, just cut it into cubes before adding. It’ll melt faster and save you a little frustration.

You can bulk this up with leftover grilled chicken or a handful of spinach tossed in at the end. Sometimes I go wild and add sun-dried tomatoes. My kitchen, my rules.

Don’t skip the pasta water. If your sauce gets too thick, a splash of that starchy gold will loosen it right up and make it silky.

6) Making Cream Cheese Pasta Ahead of Time

This easy creamy pasta recipe holds up surprisingly well. I’ve packed it for lunch the next day and honestly? Still great. Maybe even better after sitting overnight.

Just reheat it gently with a splash of milk or water to bring back the creaminess. Don’t nuke it to death or you’ll end up with a cheesy brick.

If you’re meal prepping, keep the pasta and sauce separate and mix before eating. That way it stays fresh and doesn’t clump.

7) Storing Leftover Cream Cheese Pasta

Pop leftovers into an airtight container and slide it into the fridge. You’ve got about 3 to 4 days to enjoy it.

Before reheating, add a bit of milk to loosen it up. Give it a quick stir and warm it gently on the stove or in the microwave.

If you froze it—well, I have, and it’s not perfect. Creamy pasta sauce recipes don’t always thaw gracefully. Fresh is best, but desperate times, right?

8) Try these pasta recipes next!

9) Cream Cheese Pasta Recipe