Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta

Creamy garlic parmesan pasta is a delicious meal that the whole family will love.

We absolutely LOVE pasta in my house, and I am always looking for different ways to serve it. This creamy garlic parmesan pasta was a hit with both my husband and two-year-old son!

The sun-dried tomatoes were an afterthought. I had some in the pantry, and it reminded me of a dish that I always used to order years ago at Macaroni Grill. So I threw some in at the end, and it tasted good! Don’t you just love happy accidents in the kitchen?! 🙂

As for the chicken, I used leftover rotisserie chicken. You can also use shredded chicken or leftover grilled chicken.

There is no heavy cream in this sauce. I used a simple roux of olive oil and flour, plus some milk to thicken it up. I used 1% milk, but any milk will work.

Also, feel free to substitute the throw-ins. I used asparagus here, but I have also used broccoli. Or if you don’t care for sun-dried tomatoes, just leave them out.

Tools Used to Make this Recipe

Note: These are Amazon affiliate links.

• I used a 3.5 Quart Saute Pan
• Chef’s Knife and Cutting Board
• Glass bowl (for ice bath)
• Whisk and Spoon

Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta Recipe

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Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta

Creamy garlic parmesan pasta is a simple and easy family dinner that comes together in a snap.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword garlic parmesan pasta recipe

Prep Time 8 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 28 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 405 kcal

Author Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound asparagus washed and trimmed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk (I used 1% but any milk will work)
• 1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste ( about 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper)
• 12 ounce box of whole grain farfalle pasta or any shape pasta you prefer
• 8 ounces cooked chicken shredded or diced
• 1.5 ounces Julienne cut sun-dried tomatoes (half of a 3 ounce bag - I used California Sun Dry brand FYI)

Instructions

1. Fill the saute pan about an inch deep with tap water, and bring to a boil.
2. Add asparagus to the pot and boil for about 2 minutes.
3. Remove the asparagus (tongs may be helpful), and put it in the ice bath to stop the cooking; set aside.
4. Start a separate pot of water to boil to cook your pasta per package instructions.
5. Wipe dry the pan you just cooked the asparagus in, return to stovetop and put the olive oil in it.
6. Turn the heat to low to preheat the pan for about 1-2 minutes, then add the minced garlic.
7. Cooks the garlic (should hear a light sizzle) on low for about 1.5 minutes.
8. Stir in the flour, and stir to combine for about a minute.
9. Slowly add the milk, whisking to break up any lumps.
10. Add the salt and pepper, and increase the heat a little to medium, continuing to whisk until the milk starts boiling.
11. Reduce heat back down to low (maintain a light boil/ simmer), and whisk often for about 5 minutes, until thick.
12. Stir in the parmesan cheese, and remove from heat.
13. Cook your pasta according to package instructions, and reserve at least 1/2 cup of starchy pasta water prior to draining your finished pasta.
14. Remove the asparagus from the ice water, and chop into bite size chunks.
15. Toss the drained pasta, chicken, asparagus and sun-dried tomatoes with the sauce in the pan you cooked the sauce in.
16. If you need to loosen up the sauce a little bit, add some of the reserved pasta water, a couple tablespoons at a time until sauce reaches desired consistency.
17. Optional: garnish with fresh basil.

Recipe Notes

Nutrition information is approximate and was calculated using a nutrition label generator.

Nutrition Facts

Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta

Amount Per Serving

Calories 405 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 39mg13%

Sodium 193mg8%

Potassium 382mg11%

Carbohydrates 51g17%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 23g46%

Vitamin A 400IU8%

Vitamin C 1.8mg2%

Calcium 216mg22%

Iron 1.9mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

I hope you enjoy this creamy garlic parmesan pasta as much as my family has! Pin it if it looks good to ya.