An easy pasta recipe is always a great choice for busy weeknights! Not only quick to make, but this Cream Cheese Pasta is also a low-budget meal that comes together in under 20 minutes and is likely to be enjoyed by the whole family, including vegetarians and meat eaters! The creamy sauce covering the al dente pasta is an extremely satisfying thing to eat, especially when paired with earthy dried-fried mushrooms. You will be surprised how flavoursome this easy pasta dish can be with just a handful of ingredients!
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Ingredients and Substitutes
One of our favourite pasta dishes, this recipe will only require 7 basic ingredients that are likely part of your weekly shop.
- pasta: there’s no need to make your own or buy fresh pasta for this recipe. As long as it’s cooked correctly (and by that we mean, al dente), it will taste wonderful. The flavour of it is all in the cream cheese pasta sauce.
- mushrooms: closed cup, chestnut, cremini, shiitake, portobello or any other mushrooms you enjoy will work here. If you or your family do not enjoy the flavour or texture of mushrooms, feel free to substitute them with cooked shredded chicken, prawns or halved cherry tomatoes. You can also make it into a creamy bacon pasta dish.
- brown onion: can be substituted with white onion or shallots.
- fresh garlic cloves: adds tons of flavor to the sauce and are an essential ingredient in the cream cheese sauce, in our opinion. If you must, substitute them with garlic powder.
- cream cheese: we use full-fat cream cheese in this recipe. Because creamy cheese sauce is the start of the dish in this recipe, it’s important to use the best quality cream cheese. However, we think that a good Supermarket’s own brand and big brands like Philadelphia cream cheese both work equally well.
- stock: we like this dish with vegetable stock or chicken broth.
- parmesan cheese: can be substituted with cheaper alternatives, like Padana Grano or mature Cheddar. Different cheeses will add a slightly different flavour, but as long as you like the cheese you use, it’ll be great!
- you will also need olive oil, salt and ground black pepper.
Method
Step 1: Dry-Fry Your Mushrooms
Start by preparing your mushrooms. If you’re using small mushrooms, cut them in quarters. But if you have large portobello or flat mushrooms, cut them into 0.5cm wedges.
Place them in a dry non-stick pan (large skillet) and cook on medium-high heat, stirring them occasionally to make sure they don’t catch. The mushrooms will likely release water and will certainly shrink by at least half the size. Carry on cooking until all the moisture has evaporated from the pan and your mushrooms are well browned. Dry-fried mushrooms add a wonderful savoury flavour to this easy cream cheese pasta recipe.
Once your mushrooms are ready, take them out of the pan and into a small bowl or a plate. Reserve the pan.
Step 2: Cook Pasta
Cook pasta in salted boiling water following the package instructions.
Step 3: Make The Cream Cheese Pasta Sauce
Return the pan to low-medium heat, add a tbsp of olive oil and onions and saute for 5 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and carry on cooking for another minute. Finally, add the cream cheese, crumble in the stock and add about 100ml (* this is the amount of water for 2 portions, adjust if making more pasta) of starchy pasta water into the pan and cook on low heat stirring continuously until well combined. If the sauce is looking thinner than you’d like, leave it to simmer for a minute or two to reduce more. If your sauce gets too thick, add more starchy pasta water or a splash of milk.
Once the pasta is cooked al dente, drain and add it to the sauce alongside the mushrooms. Stir for 20-30 seconds to combine and for mushrooms to warm through. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning by adding salt and pepper. Then divide the pasta between bowls and top with parmesan cheese! Garnish with parsley, if you like!
What To Serve Cream Cheese Pasta With?
Cheesy pasta in a creamy sauce is known to go well with garlic bread, right? Absolutely! Serve it with a couple of slices (or a whole baguette) or crusty herby garlic bread and a simple green salad or vegetables on the side. We really like Courgette Ribbon Salad or Tenderstem Broccoli with this pasta.
How To Store Leftover Pasta?
If you have leftovers, cool the pasta down to room temperature and add it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 48 hours. An easy way to reheat it is in a microwave, but you can also place the leftovers in a pan with a little bit of milk or water and stir until warmed through. Note though, that your pasta will no longer be al dente after you reheat it and your mushrooms will have a different texture.
TIP: If you are intending to store this delicious cream cheese pasta for later (rather than eat it immediately) intentionally undercook the pasta to start with!
Other Creamy Pasta Recipes
If you enjoy an easy dinner that uses simple ingredients, you are in the right company! Here’s what we recommend you try next:
Recipe Card
Quick & Easy Cream Cheese Pasta
Ingredients
- 200 g pasta
- 250 g mushrooms sliced
- 1 brown onion very finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 100 g cream cheese
- 1/2 stock cube
- 10 g parmesan
- 1 tbsp parsley finely chopped, optional for garnish
Instructions
- Start by preparing your mushrooms. If you're using small mushrooms, cut them in quarters. But if you have large portobello or flat mushrooms, cut them into 0.5cm wedges.
- Place them in a dry non-stick pan (large skillet) and cook on medium-high heat, stirring them occasionally to make sure they don't catch. Carry on cooking until all the moisture has evaporated from the pan and your mushrooms are well browned.
- Once your mushrooms are ready, take them out of the pan and into a small bowl or a plate. Reserve the pan.
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water following the package instructions.
- Return the pan to low-medium heat, add a tbsp of olive oil and onions and saute for 5 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and carry on cooking for another minute.
- Finally, add the cream cheese, crumble in the stock and add about 100ml (* this is the amount of water for 2 portions, adjust if making more pasta) of starchy pasta water into the pan and cook on low heat stirring continuously until well combined. If the sauce is looking thinner than you'd like, leave it to simmer for a minute or two to reduce more. If your sauce gets too thick, add more starchy pasta water or a splash of milk.
- Once the pasta is cooked al dente, drain and add it to the sauce alongside the mushrooms. Stir for 20-30 seconds to combine and for mushrooms to warm through. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning by adding salt and pepper. Then divide the pasta between bowls and top with parmesan cheese! Garnish with parsley, if you like!
Nutrition
This was so good and easy to make. Thanks for sharing!
You’re most welcome! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Oh yum! Definitely the perfect comforting pasta dish for busy weeknights. This looks so good with the use of the cream cheese.
So quick and so tasty! Great midweek meal.
We made this pasta for dinner last night and it was delicious. I can hardly wait to eat the leftovers for lunch today.
I know the feeling… I sometimes daydream about dinner before I even finish lunch 😀
This is now my go-to for a quick and easy meal. So adaptable too.
That’s great! Yes, it works so well with so many different proteins, veggies and mushrooms! 🙂