Creamy Garlic Butter Ditalini (Printable)

Tender ditalini coated in silky garlic butter cream sauce with Parmesan and fresh herbs.

# What You Need:

→ 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 until al dente, approximately 8 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - 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, gently simmering the mixture.
04 - Add cooked ditalini to the skillet and toss to coat evenly.
05 - Sprinkle Parmesan, black pepper, and salt over the pasta. Stir until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy, ensuring even coating. Adjust sauce consistency with additional pasta water if needed.
06 - Remove from heat, then stir in parsley and lemon zest if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely ready faster than delivery arrives, and tastes like you've been cooking all day.
  • The sauce coats every single grain of pasta—there's no naked pasta lurking at the bottom of the bowl.
  • It proves that vegetarian weeknight cooking doesn't mean compromise or blandness.
02 -
  • Never skip reserving pasta water—that starchy liquid is what transforms cream and butter into a sauce that actually clings to the pasta instead of pooling at the bottom.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks grainy when you add the Parmesan, it means the heat spiked too high; remove from heat immediately and stir gently, adding a splash of pasta water to repair it.
03 -
  • Buy a wedge of Parmigiano-Reggiano and keep a microplane in your drawer—the difference in taste between freshly grated and pre-grated is the difference between good and unforgettable.
  • If you're nervous about emulsification, keep your heat moderate and add Parmesan slowly while stirring constantly; rushing these final seconds is where most sauce breaks happen.
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