What can I add to pasta if I have no sauce?

This Parmesan garlic pasta is the perfect 20 minute dinner to throw together when you don't have any pasta sauce on hand! It's a delicious quick and easy alfredo inspired garlic cream sauce that can be made all in one pot! It requires just a handful of pantry ingredients and is loaded with flavor!

Can you melt Parmesan cheese?

Yes! Shredding a wedge of Parmesan is the best way to ensure that your Parmesan will melt completely into your creamy sauce. Pre-shredded Parmesan is coated in cellulose which prevents it from clumping together but can also prevent it from melting easily into your sauce.

How do you add Parmesan to cheese sauce?

The best way to add Parmesan to a cream sauce is right at the end so it can melt in and make the sauce smooth and creamy. This 20 minute creamy garlic pasta comes together all in one pot which means you don't have to make a finicky roux or dirty extra dishes! Just cook the pasta right in the sauce, then add the freshly grated Parmesan and toss until it's melted and the sauce is coated creamy Parmesan garlic sauce.

One-Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta Recipe

Name: One Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 6-8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced; 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 16 oz. half and half; 32 oz. vegetable broth; 16 oz. uncooked spaghetti noodles; 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan; Kosher salt; fresh cracked pepper; parsley; Parmesan; red pepper flakes

One Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta

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4.8 from 4 reviews

This super simple 20-minute one-pot garlic Parmesan pasta recipe will quickly become your family’s favorite easy weeknight dinner. It’s loaded with flavor but is made with simple ingredients and everything cooks in one pot!

Author: Kylie
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 8 servings 1x
Category: Main Dish
Method: Stove Top
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

1 tablespoon olive oil
6–8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
16 oz. half and half
32 oz. vegetable broth
16 oz. uncooked spaghetti noodles
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper

Garnish

parsley
Parmesan
red pepper flakes

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Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add garlic and oregano along with a couple large pinches of salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently for about a minute.
Add veggie broth, half and half, uncooked spaghetti along with another pinch of salt and pepper.
Stir to combine, turn heat to medium-high. Bring to a simmer.
Reduce heat and gently simmer over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, or until pasta is al dente. Stir every couple of minutes so the pasta cooks evenly and doesn’t stick together.
Add Parmesan cheese and stir until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Garnish with Parmesan, parsley, and red pepper flakes, and enjoy!

measuring cup

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Notes

Shred your own Parmesan! If you have time, always buy the wedge and shred it yourself! It will taste much better than the pre-shredded stuff and it will melt into the creamy garlic pasta sauce better. Wedges are usually cheaper than pre-shredded cheese as well!

One-pot pasta is all about the cooking liquid. It’s important to use your judgment as far as adding more liquid towards the end of the cooking process. If it seems to be reducing too quickly and the pasta is not fully cooked yet, add another splash of half and half or veg stock so that the pasta can cook through. You’re looking for the sauce to be smooth, creamy, and cheesy!

The Parmesan sauce in this one-pot pasta will thicken as it cools so if you’re planning to reheat leftovers, be prepared to add a couple splashes of milk or broth as you’re warming it up again. With that said, this pasta reheats well, just make sure to add some liquid and heat over medium heat in a saucepan or pot until it’s heated through.