Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta (Easy) (2024)

FAQs

How do you make pasta stay creamy? ›

Pasta Water: Scoop out some of the cooking water just before draining out the pasta. A few tablespoons of this starchy liquid is a low-calorie way of adding creaminess to any sauce.

Another penne favourite is Pasta Napoletana, which consists of penne pasta served with a simple yet exquisitely delicious tomato sauce.

Butternut or acorn squash, zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, and onion are all great options to add to a pasta dish, along with some minced garlic, olive oil, and herbs. Of course, you can also always make a homemade cheese sauce from milk or cream, grated cheese, flour or cornstarch, and salt and pepper.

Tomato-Cream Sauce for Pasta Ingredients

Dried basil leaves, white sugar, dried oregano, salt, and ground black pepper add a complex savory flavor (with just a touch of sweetness). You can't make cream sauce for pasta without cream! For a slightly lighter twist, try using half milk and half heavy cream.

If you're after a rich and indulgent pasta sauce, go for double cream. Its high fat content adds a luxurious creaminess to the sauce, giving you a velvety sauce that coats the pasta beautifully. It's perfect for classic creamy pasta sauces like Alfredo or carbonara.

Simply melt butter and sprinkle in some garlic powder. Toss your spaghetti or favorite type of pasta in this delightful mixture to create a filling and appetizing meal. This is a great way to enjoy pasta on hot days, when a heavy pasta sauce is just too filling.

Whole milk is an excellent substitute for heavy cream. It adds richness to your pasta sauce without the excess fat. Simply simmer your favourite pasta sauce with whole milk until it thickens to your desired consistency. The result is a velvety and indulgent sauce that pairs beautifully with pasta.

Is it better to make pasta with heavy cream or whipping cream? ›

You can use heavy cream and whipping cream interchangeably in cooking, keeping in mind that your choice may change the consistency of your dish. Heavy cream tends to create a thicker, creamier result than whipping cream.

Yes, heavy cream and heavy whipping cream are the exact same thing. The confusion lies in the fact that they're sold by different brands under two different names. According to the US Food and Drug Administration's labelling standards, heavy cream must contain at least 36 percent milk fat.

You can avoid the water evaporating out of the pasta by not making it moist with only water. I would toss the pasta with olive oil as it drains in the colander, give it a quick toss in melted butter in the pan before dumping the sauce on it. (A jar of Newman's Own is just fine).

So, naturally, the solution is to add liquid as you're heating it to return the noodles and sauce to their former glory. The liquid can be whatever makes sense given the dish — water, wine, milk or cream — and you'll want to add a tablespoon or two per serving.

After cutting your pasta, spread it on a wire cooling rack or hang it from a pasta drying rack, and let it dry for 2 hours. If you're using it soon, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Stabilize with a Starch

Starches like flour or cornstarch help stabilize the milk emulsion. This will prevent it from separating. A common technique is to thicken your sauce or soup with roux before adding the milk. This changes the makeup of the liquid and prevents curdling.