Cream Cheese Pasta

Need an easy, creamy pasta recipe? Cream Cheese Pasta is rich, cheesy, and comes together in minutes with simple ingredients! Perfect for busy weeknights—just add your favorite protein or veggies for a delicious family meal.

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You can stop looking for an amazing creamy pasta recipe, because you have found it! This cream cheese pasta recipe has a great texture that is rich and creamy so everyone at the table will be asking for seconds.

why you’ll love this recipe

• This is the easiest way to get a rich and creamy pasta in a short amount of time. 17 minutes, to be exact.
• This is a really affordable dish made with pantry staples.
• If you have leftover protein and veggies from another meal, whip this up and you’ve got your supper all set.

ingredients Needed

• Pasta – I recommend a noodle with ridges so every bite is extra saucy. Favorites in our house are fusilli and spaghetti.

• Cream cheese – Softened to room temperature so it is easier to work with. I use full fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese, but any other brand is just fine.
• Shredded parmesan cheese – Parmesan cheese adds great flavor to the cream cheese pasta sauce.
• Butter – Unsalted or salted, will help really make the sauce nice and silky.
• Seasonings – Garlic powder, onion powder, salt and ground black pepper.
• Milk – Whichever type of dairy milk you have at home will work. The higher the fat content, the creamier the sauce.

what can i add to cream cheese pasta?

This is a really versatile dish so you can really change it up every time you cook it. Adding protein like chicken, ham, bacon, Italian sausage or even steak will make this even more satisfying. Bonus if you have leftovers in your fridge to use so there is less cooking to do.

Roasted vegetables, peas, sautéed spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs – anything you’ve got on hand to add some color. If you grow a garden at home, I bet you have some amazing fresh veggies to add!

how to make cream cheese pasta

1. Boil salted water and cook pasta to al dente, according to the package instructions.
2. Meanwhile, cut the cream cheese into small cubes.
3. When pasta is cooked, drain it and return it to the pot. Add cream cheese, Parmesan cheese and butter. Cover and allow pasta to cook on low heat for 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted.
4. Uncover the pot and add in the seasonings.
5. Add about ¼ cup of the milk to the pot, and start tossing it, gradually adding more milk until the cheese has thickened into a creamy sauce.
6. Serve immediately.

Storage & Reheating

Fridge: Store leftover cream cheese pasta in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freezer: I do not recommend freezing this dish. Pasta can become quite mushy when you reheat it and the cream cheese sauce will separate and have a different consistency.

Reheat leftover creamy pasta covered on the stove top or in the microwave.

If reheating on the stove top, heat slowly over a lower heat and add a little bit of milk or water to keep the pasta from drying out. Stir frequently.

Add moisture when reheating in the microwave as well but heat in intervals, stirring in between.

This is the easiest pasta you can make on a weeknight when you want supper on the table in a hurry. You’re always going to have cream cheese on hand now!

Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!

 

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Cream Cheese Pasta

Creamy, cheesy, and easy to make, this Cream Cheese Pasta is the perfect quick dinner. Made with simple ingredients, it’s a delicious comfort food the whole family will love.

Prep:5 minutes mins

Cook:12 minutes mins

Total:17 minutes mins

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Ingredients

• ▢ 16 ounces uncooked pasta choose your favorite
• ▢ 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• ▢ ½ cup shredded parmesan
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon butter softened
• ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon pepper
• ▢ 1 cup milk

Instructions

• Boil a pot of salted water for the pasta and cook it al dente according to package directions.
• Meanwhile, cut the cream cheese into smaller pieces.
• Drain the pasta once it is cooked. Return the drained pasta to the pot it was cooked in, and add the cream cheese, parmesan cheese and butter. Cover the pot and let it cook on low heat for about 1-2 minutes until the cheese is melted.
• Uncover the pot and add in the garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
• Add about ¼ cup of the milk to the pot, and start tossing it, gradually adding more of the milk until the cheese has melted into a creamy sauce. You may not use up the entire cup of milk.
• Serve immediately.

Tips

Fridge: Store leftover cream cheese pasta in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freezer: I do not recommend freezing this dish. Pasta can become quite mushy when you reheat it and the cream cheese sauce will separate and have a different consistency.

Reheat leftover creamy pasta covered on the stove top or in the microwave.

If reheating on the stove top, heat slowly over a lower heat and add a little bit of milk or water to keep the pasta from drying out. Stir frequently.

Add moisture when reheating in the microwave as well but heat in intervals, stirring in between.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 484kcal (24%), Carbohydrates: 61g (20%), Protein: 17g (34%), Fat: 19g (29%), Saturated Fat: 11g (69%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 52mg (17%), Sodium: 484mg (21%), Potassium: 289mg (8%), Fiber: 3g (13%), Sugar: 6g (7%), Vitamin A: 672IU (13%), Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 201mg (20%), Iron: 1mg (6%)

© Julie's Eats & Treats ®

We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box is calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.

how to serve cream cheese pasta

This creamy pasta is perfect to go along with your favorite protein and vegetable. Tender and juicy Baked Chicken Breast is always a great idea because you can bake extra and you’ve got chicken to use for lunches for the week. A simple green salad on the side is always a good idea when you need a quick weeknight dinner. I also love to toss Roasted Broccoli in with this pasta dish or serve it on the side.

A great addition to pasta night is also a nice toasty garlic bread. And don’t forget to offer extra parmesan cheese to sprinkle on before eating!

more creamy pasta recipes

• In only 15 minutes, you can serve the creamiest and cheesiest Stovetop Mac and Cheese with pantry staples.
• A creamy chicken mixture rolled in lasagna noodles and topped with creamy Alfredo sauce, Chicken Alfredo Roll Ups are the perfect weeknight comfort meal.
• Speaking of using leftovers, Turkey Tetrazzini is a great way to use up leftover turkey in a delicious, creamy pasta bake.
• The creamy red sauce of Penne alla Vodka makes you feel like you are seated in a restaurant. Every bite is more rich and decadent than the last.