Restaurant-Style Garlic Cheese Cream Pasta (Made in One Pan!)
An easy, creamy pasta recipe that feels like comfort in a bowl. Make this Garlic Cheese Cream Pasta once, and it’ll be on repeat in your kitchen forever!
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Marinating time 10 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Pasta & Protein
- 100-120 g spaghetti or fusilli
- 150 g shrimp peeled and deveined
- Salt and black pepper for marinating
Garlic Cheese Cream Sauce
- 15 g unsalted butter
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 10 g minced garlic about 3-4 cloves
- 150 ml heavy cream 30%+ fat
- 2 slices original cheese singles
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Dried parsley for garnish (optional)
Cook & Prepare the Pasta
Bring a large pot of generously salted water (about 1.5 liters) to a rolling boil. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Add the spaghetti, gently separating it with chopsticks to prevent sticking. Cook according to package instructions until it is 'al dente' (typically around 8 minutes). Drain the pasta and immediately rinse it with cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent sticking. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
Marinate & Pan-Fry the Shrimp
Place the shrimp in a small bowl and season with a little salt and black pepper. Toss to coat evenly and let it marinate for 10 minutes. In a skillet, melt the unsalted butter over low heat. Add the marinated shrimp and turn the heat up to medium. Pan-fry for about 1 minute per side, or until the shrimp are fully cooked through and pink. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set them aside, leaving the residual cooking fat in the pan.
Prepare the Garlic Cheese Cream Sauce
Using the same skillet, add the minced garlic to the remaining butter and fat. Cook over low heat for 10-15 seconds, just until the garlic is fragrant and lightly golden. Pour in the heavy cream and stir well with a silicone spatula. Heat over medium-low heat until the cream just begins to simmer gently—do not let it boil. Add one slice of cheese and stir continuously until it has completely melted and the sauce has thickened.
Combine Pasta & Shrimp (Finishing)
Add the drained pasta and cooked shrimp to the sauce in the skillet. Increase the heat to medium and toss everything together quickly for 1-2 minutes, ensuring every strand of pasta is evenly coated with the sauce. Add the second slice of cheese. Finally, season with additional salt and black pepper to taste. Garnish with dried parsley (if using), give it one final toss, and then turn off the heat.