Recipes

Roasted Garlic Alfredo Pasta

August 26, 2020

The perfect creamy pasta recipe for all the garlic lovers out there looking for something extra cozy and flavorful. So easy, yet so delicious.

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This alfredo sauce is one that I love keeping in my back pocket for days when I just want the ultimate comfort food. The sauce is a great base to add some protein and veggies for extra nutrients, but honestly my favorite way to eat it is plain with whatever pasta I have on hand. I just can’t get enough of that slow roasted garlic flavor!

Ingredients

  • Roasted garlic: This is what sets this alfredo sauce apart from others! Please don’t skip this step as roasting garlic slowly in the oven changes the usual sharp flavor into a creamy, rich, and buttery flavor. At the minimum, use 2 heads of garlic. I try to use 3-4 though because I can never have enough garlic!
  • Oil: I typically use avocado oil to roast garlic as the smoke point is higher.
  • Butter: Using butter in the sauce adds to the creaminess, but feel free to substitute whichever oil you prefer.
  • Flour: I do believe to achieve that restaurant-style thick alfredo sauce, flour is going to be necessary. However, you have to thin the sauce out enough with the reserved pasta water at the end otherwise the sauce can taste a little grainy. If you don’t want to add flour, it will still be delicious!! Just keep in mind the sauce won’t be as thick.
  • Heavy cream: Substituting something else for heavy cream doesn’t create as a sauce that’s as rich and creamy. However, if you want to substitute milk, please use whole milk!
  • Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan cheese works best in this recipe. If using pre-grated, use the one in the refrigerated section, NOT the green bottled one in the packaged food aisles! I have found that grated Parmesan works a lot better than shredded since it melts faster, and sometimes the shredded cheese can make the sauce clumpy or stringy.
  • Cream cheese: Helps keep the sauce extra creamy!

Directions

Please keep in mind I am not making a full portion in these photos below!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Since the garlic heads are so small, I like using a toaster oven instead of the large oven. Peel the outer layers of the garlic heads, but still keeping the bulb in tact.

Using a knife, carefully cut 1/4 to 1/2 inch off the top of each clove so that each one is exposed.
 Drizzle oil over each exposed clove.
  Wrap each head in parchment paper, then aluminum foil. Place on a baking tray and bake for 40 minutes.

Once the garlic is done baking, remove from the oven and let them cool until they are cool enough to touch. Set aside.
 In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the roasted garlic by pushing the cloves out of the skins. Press and smear them into the melted butter with your spatula and cook for 1 minute.

Add in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
 It will look like a clumpy mixture still!

Add in the heavy cream and cream cheese. Mix until everything is melted and evenly combined. Bring the sauce up to a simmer (~3-5 minutes).

The sauce will still be thick. Once the sauce is simmering, add in the Parmesan cheese, reserved pasta water, salt, and pepper. Mix until cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Salt and pepper to taste as needed.

As soon as the sauce is smooth, immediately add in the cooked pasta.
 Toss and mix to combine. Add more pasta water until sauce reaches your desired consistency. Keep in mind that if the sauce is too thick, sometimes the flour can taste grainier. If that happens, just add some more pasta water to thin it out and thoroughly mix.
 Serve immediately and top with freshly cracked black pepper.

Roasted Garlic Alfredo Pasta

 


AuthorTiffany AngelaCategoryDifficultyBeginner


A super simple and extra creamy alfredo sauce that's packed with roasted garlic flavor. Perfect for a busy weeknight and any time you need a cozy comfort meal.

Yields4 Servings
Prep Time5 minsCook Time55 minsTotal Time1 hr


Ingredient
 16 oz dried pasta
 4 heads of garlic
 2 tbsp oil (avocado, olive, etc)
 2 tbsp unsalted butter
 2 tsp all-purpose flour
 1 ½ cups heavy cream
 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
 2 oz cream cheese
 1 tsp salt
 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Directions
1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (preferably a toaster oven). Peel the outer layers of the 4 garlic heads, still leaving the individual cloves in tact as a bulb. Using a knife, cut 1/4 to 1/2 inch off the top of each clove. Careful with your knife!

2

Drizzle oil over each exposed clove. Wrap each bulb separately in parchment paper, then with aluminum foil. Place on a baking tray and bake for 40 minutes.

3

Remove the garlic from the oven and allow garlic to cool down until it's okay to touch. Set aside.

4

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions. Once the pasta is al dente, save 2 cups of pasta water before draining.

5

Meanwhile, melt 2 tbsp butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in the roasted garlic cloves (push the cloves out of the skins). Smush them into the melted butter with your spatula and cook for 1 minute.

6

Add in 2 tsp flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.

7

Add in 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream and 2 oz of cream cheese and mix until everything is melted and evenly combined. Bring the sauce up to a simmer (~3-5 minutes).

8

Add in 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1 cup pasta water, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper. Mix until cheese is just melted and the sauce is smooth. Salt and pepper to taste as needed.

9

Once the cheese is melted, immediately add in the cooked pasta and mix until combined. If the sauce is too thick, add more pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency. If the sauce is too thick, you will taste the flour more, so make sure to thin it out to your liking!

10

Top with freshly cracked black pepper and serve immediately.

Ingredients

Ingredient
 16 oz dried pasta
 4 heads of garlic
 2 tbsp oil (avocado, olive, etc)
 2 tbsp unsalted butter
 2 tsp all-purpose flour
 1 ½ cups heavy cream
 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
 2 oz cream cheese
 1 tsp salt
 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

Directions
1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (preferably a toaster oven). Peel the outer layers of the 4 garlic heads, still leaving the individual cloves in tact as a bulb. Using a knife, cut 1/4 to 1/2 inch off the top of each clove. Careful with your knife!

2

Drizzle oil over each exposed clove. Wrap each bulb separately in parchment paper, then with aluminum foil. Place on a baking tray and bake for 40 minutes.

3

Remove the garlic from the oven and allow garlic to cool down until it's okay to touch. Set aside.

4

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions. Once the pasta is al dente, save 2 cups of pasta water before draining.

5

Meanwhile, melt 2 tbsp butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in the roasted garlic cloves (push the cloves out of the skins). Smush them into the melted butter with your spatula and cook for 1 minute.

6

Add in 2 tsp flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.

7

Add in 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream and 2 oz of cream cheese and mix until everything is melted and evenly combined. Bring the sauce up to a simmer (~3-5 minutes).

8

Add in 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1 cup pasta water, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper. Mix until cheese is just melted and the sauce is smooth. Salt and pepper to taste as needed.

9

Once the cheese is melted, immediately add in the cooked pasta and mix until combined. If the sauce is too thick, add more pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency. If the sauce is too thick, you will taste the flour more, so make sure to thin it out to your liking!

10

Top with freshly cracked black pepper and serve immediately.

Roasted Garlic Alfredo Pasta

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