Creamy Dinner Pasta Sauce (Printable)
Velvety blend of cream, Parmesan, and herbs to enhance pasta dishes with ease and flavor.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dairy
01 - 1 cup heavy cream
02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
→ Aromatics
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
→ Seasonings
06 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
07 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - Pinch of nutmeg
→ Extras
10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
# How To Make It:
01 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and chopped shallot, sautéing for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
02 - Pour heavy cream into the skillet and stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low.
03 - Stir in Italian herbs, black pepper, salt, and nutmeg. Mix thoroughly to distribute spices evenly.
04 - Gradually whisk in Parmesan cheese until fully melted. Continue cooking for 3-4 minutes until sauce is smooth and thickened.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. If sauce is too thick, add a splash of milk or pasta water to reach desired consistency.
06 - Remove from heat. Toss with cooked pasta and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- This sauce comes together in the time it takes to boil water, making weeknight luxury completely possible
- The secret of slowly warming cream before adding cheese prevents that heartbreaking grainy texture everyone fears
- Leftovers actually reheat beautifully, which I discovered during a midnight fridge raid that changed my life
02 -
- High heat will absolutely break your cream sauce into a greasy mess, so keep it at a gentle simmer always
- Adding cheese to boiling cream causes graininess, so reduce heat first and thank me later
- This sauce continues thickening off heat, so remove it slightly thinner than your target consistency
03 -
- Room temperature cream incorporates more smoothly than cold straight from the fridge
- A splash of pasta water creates this magical emulsion that makes sauce cling to every strand