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One Pot Creamy Garlic Pasta

One pot creamy garlic pasta with silky linguine coated in a glossy garlic cream sauce and parmesan melted throughout. Cook everything in one pot until the liquid reduces into a creamy, twirlable finish with basil and extra parmesan on top.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Linguine or spaghetti
  • 12 oz linguine or spaghetti
Garlic
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
Butter
  • 3 tbsp butter
Broth
  • 2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
Heavy cream
  • 1.5 cup heavy cream
Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 cracked black pepper to taste
Serving
  • 0.25 fresh basil for serving
  • 0.25 extra parmesan for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté garlic
  1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat, then add minced garlic and sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and just golden.
Build the creamy base
  1. Add chicken or vegetable broth and heavy cream, then bring to a gentle boil.
Cook pasta in the sauce
  1. Add uncooked linguine (or spaghetti) and cook, stirring frequently, for 10–12 minutes until al dente and the liquid reduces into a creamy sauce.
Finish with parmesan
  1. Stir in grated parmesan and Italian seasoning until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is silky.
Season and serve
  1. Season generously with salt and cracked black pepper.
  2. Serve immediately topped with fresh basil and extra parmesan.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, keep the heat at a gentle simmer during the pasta cook so the sauce thickens without boiling over; add a splash of broth if it gets too thick before the pasta is al dente. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat on the stove with a splash of broth or water until loosened. Freezing is not recommended because the cream may separate. For a lighter option, swap heavy cream for half-and-half (or a mix of milk and a small amount of cream) and expect a slightly less thick sauce.