Pasta
$0.96per plate
Prep
5 min
Pasta · Creamy Pasta
Creamy Garlic Pasta
This is the home of Budget Plates' creamy pasta recipes, and it starts with the cheapest one we make. The recipe below is a silky Creamy Garlic Pasta built from butter, flour, milk, and parmesan instead of a carton of cream, so four servings come to about sixty cents a plate. Make it as written, then branch out: we have turned the same easy method into Creamy Lemon Pasta, Creamy Tomato Pasta, Creamy Pesto Pasta, Creamy Sausage Pasta, and Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta, each with its cost worked out up front.
What actually makes pasta creamy is an emulsified sauce, not necessarily cream. A quick roux of butter and flour thickens milk into something glossy and rich, grated parmesan adds body, and a splash of starchy pasta water pulls it together so it clings to every strand. That is also how it stays cheap: milk, flour, and a little cheese cost a fraction of heavy cream or a jar of sauce, which is why every creamy pasta here comes in under two dollars a plate.
$0.60per plate
Estimated recipe total
$2.41 · serves 4
Cook
15 min
Total
20 min
Serves
4
Recipe from Budget Plates · https://www.budgetplates.com/creamy-pasta-recipes
1 How to make it
1
Boil the pasta
Cook the pasta in salted water to the package time and save a cup of the starchy water before draining.
2
Make the roux
Melt the butter, add the garlic for 30 seconds, then whisk in the flour and cook for a minute. This roux is what thickens the sauce without any cream.
3
Build the sauce
Whisk in the milk a splash at a time and cook until it thickens into a smooth sauce, a few minutes. Off the heat, stir in the parmesan until melted and glossy.
4
Toss and loosen
Add the drained pasta and toss, loosening with a splash of the reserved pasta water until the sauce coats every strand. Finish with parsley and pepper.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Any pasta shape. Spaghetti, fettuccine, or penne all work. Match the cook time on the box.
- Add a protein or vegetable. Stir in cooked chicken, a handful of peas, or crumbled bacon to make it a fuller meal.
- Different cheese. No parmesan, use any hard cheese you have, or a handful of shredded cheddar for a milder, richer sauce.
- Milk of any kind. Whole milk is richest, but two percent works. A splash of pasta water keeps it creamy either way.
3 Budget tips
- A sauce of milk and flour costs a fraction of heavy cream or a jar of alfredo and tastes just as rich.
- The starchy pasta water is free and it is the key to a silky, clinging sauce, so always save a cup before draining.
- A little parmesan goes a long way in a cream sauce, so one wedge seasons many dinners.
- Stretch it into a full meal with a handful of frozen peas or leftover chicken for pennies.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Cream sauces thicken in the fridge and loosen again when reheated.
Freezer
Cream sauces can separate when frozen, so this is best made fresh. Keep leftovers to a few days in the fridge instead.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a pan over low with a splash of milk or pasta water, stirring, to bring the sauce back together smoothly.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
380
Protein
14g
Fat
15g
Carbs
48g
Estimates per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
How do I make creamy pasta without heavy cream?
Make a quick roux of butter and flour, then whisk in milk until it thickens into a smooth sauce and stir in parmesan off the heat. It comes out rich and silky for a fraction of the cost of cream.
Why did my sauce turn out grainy or split?
Usually from adding the cheese over high heat. Take the pan off the heat before stirring in the parmesan, and loosen with pasta water rather than boiling it, so it stays smooth.
How do I make it a full meal?
Stir in cooked chicken, crumbled bacon, or a handful of frozen peas. The plain sauce is a blank canvas that takes almost any cheap add-in well.
How does this come to $0.60 a plate?
The whole dish is about $2.41 for four servings. There is no meat and no cream, just pantry staples, which is why it lands so low.
What can I add to creamy pasta?
Almost anything. For a whole new flavor we have built full recipes around the idea: fresh lemon, basil pesto, or a rose tomato sauce for meatless nights, and sausage or Tuscan-style chicken with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach for heartier plates. For quick add-ins, stir in peas, spinach, mushrooms, or leftover chicken at the end, and loosen the sauce with a splash of pasta water.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
As an Amazon Associate, Budget Plates may earn from qualifying purchases.
- 12-inch nonstick skillet. A wide nonstick skillet browns ground meat, fries rice, and builds a one-pan sauce with less oil and easier cleanup. Best for everyday stovetop dinners like skillet meals, fried rice, pasta sauces, and patties.
- Cast iron skillet. Cast iron holds heat for a deep sear and moves from stovetop to oven, and it lasts for decades with basic care. Best for searing chops and chicken, and recipes that start on the stove and finish in the oven.
- Chef's knife. One sharp chef's knife handles almost all the chopping, from onions to chicken, and replaces a drawer of gadgets. Best for all-purpose prep in essentially every recipe on the site.
- Cutting board. A large, stable cutting board makes prep faster and safer, which matters when you cook most nights. Best for everyday chopping of onion, garlic, and vegetables across nearly every recipe.
This creamy pasta comes together in well under 30 minutes and rings up under $1 a serving - it's part of both our 30-minute meal ideas collection and our recipes under $1 per serving collection.
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