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    Easy Cheesy Garlic and Herb Pasta

    Published: Apr 25, 2020 · Modified: Apr 29, 2021 by Jacqueline Bellefontaine ·

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    Pasta sauce recipes don't come much easier than this. Easy cheesy garlic and herb pasta is quick to make and you can vary the recipe easily to ring the changes.

    bowl of easy cheesy garlic and herb pasta.

    Dinner on the table in about 15 minutes you can not complain about that! I've used garlic and herb flavoured cream cheese as the base of this pasta sauce. It can be stirred into pasta used to make a near instant sauce but I have added a few extras to ingredients to liven the sauce up a bit.

    It's the perfect pasta sauce to make when you want dinner in a hurry by the time the pasta is cooked the sauce is ready (unless you use fresh pasta in which case the sauce takes just slightly longer than the pasta).

    How to make easy cheesy garlic and herb pasta sauce. 

    First sauté some onions until just soft, then add some chopped bacon and cook for a few minutes. Next, add the cream cheese and a little milk and heat gently until the cream cheese melts. The sauce is stirred into the hot pasta and its ready to serve. it really is as easy as that!

    For a  vegetarian version simply leave out the bacon. 

    Serve with pasta of your choice.  I really like it served with homemade pasta cut into tagliatelle

    Serveing pasta with tongs into a bowl.
    serving of easy cheesy garlic and herb pasta in bowl.

    step by step

    • Tagliatelle in pan of water.
      Put the pasta on to cook.
    • bacon and onions in saucepan.
      Saute the onions then cook the bacon.
    • cheese added to pan.
      Add the cream cheese and milk.
    • cooked easy cheesy garlic and herb sauce in saucepan.
      Cook stirring until combined.
    • Drained tagliatelle in a saucepan.
      Drain pasta.
    • sauce on top of cooked pasta.
      Add the sauce to the pasta and stir to combine.
    • serving of easy cheesy garlic and herb pasta.
      Serve immediately sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley if desired.

    Variations

    •  Saute onions with the bacon or used to replace the bacon.
    •  Add some toasted pine nuts and sprinkle over the finished dish.
    • Use a plain cream cheese and add your own garlic and fresh herbs.  Chives would be good.
    • Add a little spice with some dried chilli flakes.
    • Replace the onions with sliced leeks.

    Need some more really quick and easy pasta sauces? – Try one of these

    • Avocado spaghetti with lemon and chilli - Searching for Spice
    • Broccoli pesto pasta – The Petite Cook
    • 5 minute lemon butter sauce –Recipes from a pantry
    • Creamy pasta with asparagus and bacon – Recipes Made Easy
    • Tagliatelli with fresh tomatoes, basil and mozzarella - Recipes Made Easy
    • Cheesy tuna pasta – Fab Food for All
    bowl of easy cheesy garlic and herb pasta.

    Easy cheesy garlic and herb pasta

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    A quick and easy pasta sauce
    Course Main
    Cuisine International
    Keyword cheese sauce, pasta sauce
    Skill Level very easy
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Servings 4
    Calories 625
    Author Jacqueline Bellefontaine

    Ingredients

    • 400 g pasta
    • 6 rashers smoked streaky bacon
    • 1 small onion chopped
    • 2 tablespoon oil
    • 175 g garlic and herb cream cheese
    • 100 ml milk
    • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • Parmesan cheese to serve (optional)
    • chopped fresh parsley to serve (optional)
    metric - US cups

    Instructions

    • Cook 400g (14oz) pasta in plenty of lightly salted boiling water for about 10-minutes or as directed on the packet.
    • Slice 6 rashers of bacon into small pieces, chop one small onion.
    • Heat the oil in a small saucepan and fry the onions until just beginning to soften. Add the bacon and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
    • Stir in 175 g (6 oz) cheese and 100ml (3½ floz) milk and heat gently stirring until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
    • Drain the pasta and stir in the cheese sauce. Serve immediately sprinkled with parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, if desired.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 625kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 348mg | Potassium: 441mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 282IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment or Mention @recipecrumbs or tag #RecipesMadeEasy

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    « How to make homemade pasta
    Four Cheesy Bakes »

    About Jacqueline Bellefontaine

    Jacqueline is a member of the Guild of Food Writers and has been a cookery writer and food stylist for over 25 years. She has written over 15 cookery books, in addition to writing for several major magazines. She likes to champion good basic home cooking and as the daughter of a master baker, she is passionate about home baking.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rosemary

      May 01, 2020 at 11:15 am

      5 stars
      This is exactly the kind of recipe we need at the moment - quick and easy using store cupboard ingredients but so tasty and comforting.

      Reply
    2. Janice Pattie

      April 28, 2020 at 2:20 pm

      5 stars
      Ah, the simple things are the best and this recipe is full of those delicious simple ingredients.

      Reply
    3. Michelle Rolfe

      April 28, 2020 at 12:53 pm

      Now this is my kind of pasta! Quick and easy and full on cheese. Will be making this for me & hubby (teens are tomato all the way!) Yum! Cheers, Michelle x

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Bellefontaine

        April 28, 2020 at 5:11 pm

        Dosent get any easier than this and easy is good

        Reply
    4. Chloe Edges | Feast Glorious Feast

      April 28, 2020 at 12:40 pm

      5 stars
      Looks gorgeous! I make something similar but I've never used the garlic and herb cream cheese. I will now!

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Bellefontaine

        April 28, 2020 at 5:10 pm

        Its a lovely easy cheat and once in a while a little cheating is fine 🙂

        Reply
    5. Sharon

      April 26, 2020 at 5:23 pm

      Absolutely delicious thank you, nice for some fresh ideas on a quick meal that everyone loved. Have been meaning to say thanks for your ideas so here I am, you are a star.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Bellefontaine

        April 27, 2020 at 10:51 am

        Thank you Sharon, What a lovely comment you have made my day. J x

        Reply
    6. Corina Blum

      April 26, 2020 at 2:44 pm

      5 stars
      I love how easy this is! You've also reminded me of how long ago it is since I made a sauce using cream cheese so I really need to make one again soon.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Bellefontaine

        April 26, 2020 at 2:48 pm

        Thank you, Corina. Cream cheese is certainly handy for a quick sauce.

        Reply

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    Jacqueline Bellefontaine.

    Hello I'm Jacqui
    I believe that great tasting home cooking need not be hard work, so I like to write and cook recipes that are as easy as they can be. But I won't compromise on taste!

    This blog is written and photographed by me at home and it's all about my favourite recipes, that I make for family, for friends and for fun. I hope you like them too.

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