One-Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta
Fettuccine simmers right in a garlicky broth and milk, then gets folded with Parmesan for a creamy weeknight dinner made in a single pot.
Fettuccine cooks right in the sauce here. No big pot of boiling water, no colander, no second pan for the sauce. You melt butter, soften garlic, pour in broth and milk, and drop the dry noodles straight in.
That works because the pasta absorbs the liquid as it simmers, so the starch thickens what's left into something creamy. You stir it now and then over about 20 minutes, and dinner is done in one pan.
It's a good one for a night when you want something warm and filling but don't feel like doing dishes. Four servings, nine ingredients, and most of them are probably in your kitchen already.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Melt the butter
Put a large skillet over medium-high heat and melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter until it stops foaming.
2. Soften the garlic
Add the minced garlic and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes, until it smells fragrant and turns pale gold. Don't let it brown.
3. Add liquid and pasta
Pour in the chicken broth and milk, then add the fettuccine. Season with salt and pepper. The pan will look like far too much liquid. That's correct.
4. Simmer until tender
Bring the pot to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. The sauce should coat the strands and still look a little loose.
5. Stir in the Parmesan
Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan until it melts into the sauce. If the mixture is too thick, add milk a splash at a time until it's the consistency you want.
6. Serve
Divide among four bowls, top with the chopped parsley, and add more pepper if you like.
Tips & Tricks
- Break long fettuccine strands in half so they lie flat in the skillet and cook evenly.
- Stir every few minutes, scraping the bottom. The starch settles and sticks if you leave it alone.
- Keep the heat at a gentle simmer. A hard boil can make the milk curdle and leave small grainy bits.
- Add the Parmesan off the heat. High heat makes cheese clump instead of melting into the sauce.
- If the sauce gets too thick before the pasta is tender, add milk a couple of tablespoons at a time, not all at once.
Delicious Variations
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic for heat.
- Stir in a cup of frozen peas in the last three minutes of cooking.
- Swap the parsley for fresh basil, added at the end.
- For a meatless version, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
How to Store One-Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta
Refrigerator
Keep leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The pasta will soak up the sauce and firm up in the cold.
Freezer
Freezing isn't ideal. The pasta goes soft and the sauce can separate when thawed. If you must, freeze for up to 1 month and expect a softer texture.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a covered pan over low heat with a splash of milk or broth, stirring until loose. A microwave works too, in short bursts with a splash of liquid. Don't boil it, or the cheese can turn grainy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I need to boil the fettuccine first?
No. The dry pasta cooks right in the broth and milk. That's the whole point of the one-pot method, and the starch it releases is what thickens the sauce.
Q: Can I use a different pasta shape?
Linguine works well. Penne or rotini also work but usually need a little more liquid and a few extra minutes, so check by tasting rather than by the timer.
Q: Why did my sauce turn grainy?
Usually too much heat. Keep it at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil, and stir the Parmesan in after the pan is off the heat.
Q: Can I make this without dairy?
Not as written. Milk and Parmesan are both central to the sauce, and swapping them changes the dish. Use the recipe as it is, or look for a recipe built around dairy-free ingredients.
Q: How do I know when the pasta is done?
Bite a strand. It should be tender with no hard center. The pan should still look slightly saucy at that point, since it thickens quickly once it's off the heat.
Q: Does this reheat well?
It's best fresh, but leftovers reheat fine with a splash of milk over low heat. Expect a slightly thicker sauce the second time around.
Grab your skillet and give this one a go tonight. It's four servings, one pan, and about half an hour from a cold stove to the table.
One-Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta
Fettuccine simmers right in a garlicky broth and milk, then gets folded with Parmesan for a creamy weeknight dinner made in a single pot.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1Melt the butter — Put a large skillet over medium-high heat and melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter until it stops foaming.
- 2Soften the garlic — Add the minced garlic and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes, until it smells fragrant and turns pale gold. Don't let it brown.
- 3Add liquid and pasta — Pour in the chicken broth and milk, then add the fettuccine. Season with salt and pepper. The pan will look like far too much liquid. That's correct.
- 4Simmer until tender — Bring the pot to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. The sauce should coat the strands and still look a little loose.
- 5Stir in the Parmesan — Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan until it melts into the sauce. If the mixture is too thick, add milk a splash at a time until it's the consistency you want.
- 6Serve — Divide among four bowls, top with the chopped parsley, and add more pepper if you like.
Questions or cooking notes?
Ask about an ingredient or share a tip that could help someone else.