15-Minute Creamy Garlic Ditalini (Printable Version)

Tiny ditalini tossed in a silky garlic butter sauce with cream and Parmesan for a quick dinner.

# 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, or to taste
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 according to package instructions until al dente, about 8 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water, then drain the pasta.
02 - While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
03 - Reduce heat to low, stir in heavy cream and reserved pasta water, and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
04 - Add cooked ditalini to the skillet and toss to coat evenly with the sauce.
05 - Sprinkle Parmesan, black pepper, and salt into the skillet. Stir until the sauce is smooth and creamy and pasta is fully coated. If sauce is too thick, add a splash more pasta water.
06 - Remove from heat and stir in parsley and lemon zest if using. Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and parsley as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Fifteen minutes from empty pan to plated dinner, no shortcuts that taste like shortcuts.
  • The pasta water is the secret ingredient nobody expects, turning butter and cream into pure comfort.
  • Fancy enough to serve guests, simple enough to make on a random Tuesday after work.
02 -
  • Reserve that pasta water before draining—it's starchy and emulsifies the sauce into silk, and you can't get it back once it's gone.
  • Don't brown the garlic or you'll spend the next ten minutes angry at yourself and the smell lingering in your kitchen.
  • Toss the pasta immediately after adding it to the sauce so it doesn't clump and stick to itself instead of coating evenly.
03 -
  • Keep the heat medium so the cream simmers gently instead of breaking into small, separated puddles.
  • Finish with fresh Parmesan and parsley right before serving, because they taste bright when they haven't been sitting in residual heat.
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