Creamy Garlic Butter Ditalini (Print View)

Tender ditalini pasta enveloped in a silky garlicky butter sauce with cream and Parmesan finish.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz ditalini pasta
02 - 8 cups water
03 - 1 tablespoon salt

→ Sauce

04 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
05 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
06 - ½ cup heavy cream
07 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
08 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
09 - ¼ teaspoon salt
10 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)
11 - Zest of ½ lemon (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add ditalini and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water, then drain the pasta.
02 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant, avoiding browning.
03 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream and reserved pasta water, bringing mixture to a gentle simmer.
04 - Add cooked ditalini to the skillet and toss to coat evenly with the sauce.
05 - Sprinkle Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and salt into the skillet. Stir until sauce is smooth and creamy. Adjust consistency by adding more pasta water if necessary.
06 - Remove from heat. Stir in parsley and lemon zest if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It genuinely comes together in fifteen minutes, which means you can make it on nights when cooking feels impossible.
  • The sauce tastes luxurious but requires almost no technique, just attentiveness so the garlic doesn't burn.
  • It's the kind of comfort food that feels like a treat without any complicated steps.
02 -
  • The moment your garlic hits the butter, it starts a countdown to browning—stay present and pull the skillet off heat if it smells like it's going too far, because burned garlic tastes bitter and will ruin the whole dish.
  • Pasta water is not a last resort; it's essential because the starch it contains helps the sauce cling to the pasta instead of sliding off. Don't skip reserving it.
  • Freshly grated Parmesan makes a visible difference in how the sauce comes together—pre-grated cheese turns grainy and separated because of the anti-caking agents, while real grated cheese melts into the cream beautifully.
03 -
  • Keep your skillet on medium or slightly below—high heat breaks cream sauces and makes them look curdled and separated instead of silky.
  • If you find yourself with leftover pasta, it reheats gently in a skillet with a splash of milk or cream rather than the microwave, which dries it out completely.
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