Quick Cream Cheese Spaghetti Recipe (2024)

Dinner Ideas / Lunch / Pasta / Vegetarian

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This quick and easy Cream Cheese Spaghetti is a comforting pasta dinner that the whole family will love! It’s cheesy, creamy and downright delicious.

Quick Cream Cheese Spaghetti Recipe (1)

Meet this mom’s quick-fix spaghetti dinner! This cream cheese spaghetti dish is an easy pasta recipe that never gets old. It’s the perfect inexpensive meal to add to your weekly dinner rotation.

    Why We Love Spaghetti With Cream Cheese

    • Quick Preparation: Ready in just 15 minutes, perfect for busy families.
    • Simple Ingredients: Requires only 7 ingredients, making it easy and accessible.
    • Versatile: Great with added vegetables or meat, appealing to both kids and adults.
    • Comfort Food: Cheesy and satisfying, sure to lift your mood with every bite.
    Quick Cream Cheese Spaghetti Recipe (2)

    Recipe Ingredients

    • Dry Spaghetti: This can be substituted with any other pasta type like fettuccine, penne, or gluten-free pasta options.
    • Olive Oil: Other cooking oils like avocado oil or vegetable oil can be used.
    • Fresh Garlic: Garlic powder or jarred minced garlic are good alternatives.
    • Cream Cheese: Neufchâtel cheese can be used for similar creaminess. Cut the cream cheese into cubes to make a creamy, smooth sauce.
    • Grated Parmesan Cheese: Other hard, grated cheeses like Pecorino Romano or Asiago can substitute.
    • Garnish: If desired, garnish your spaghetti with parsley and cracked black pepper.

    How to Make Cream Cheese Spaghetti

    Quick Cream Cheese Spaghetti Recipe (3)
    Quick Cream Cheese Spaghetti Recipe (4)
    1. Cook the Pasta: Cook the spaghetti according to the directions on the package. Do not drain it yet.
    2. Cook the Garlic and Cheese: Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic to the oil and cook for 20 seconds. Add cream cheese to the skillet and ½ cup of the cooking pasta water. Whisk the cream cheese and water until well combined.
    3. Add Cheese & Seasonings: Whisk in the parmesan cheese; taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly. If needed, add more water to reach your desired sauce consistency.
    4. Drain: Drain the spaghetti and then return it back to the cooking pot.
    5. Add Sauce: Add the cream cheese sauce to the spaghetti; stir until combined.
    6. Garnish & Serve: Garnish with a crack of black pepper and chopped parsley, if desired.

    Recipe Tips

    • Watch the Garlic: Garlic should only take about 20 seconds to sauté. Watch it closely to make sure it doesn’t burn.
    • Adjust Sauce to Taste: Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper until you’re satisfied with the flavor.
    • Use Pasta Water: Make sure you use the pasta water to make your sauce instead of just regular water. This will give your sauce the best flavor and help it stick to the spaghetti. Also, add more pasta water as needed if you want a thinner sauce.
    • Cut Cream Cheese into Cubes: If you cut your cream cheese into smaller pieces, you’ll have an easier time incorporating it into the sauce.
    Quick Cream Cheese Spaghetti Recipe (5)

    Serving Suggestions

    This pasta would taste great with Swedish meatballs or grilled shrimp. Everyone loves to pair this spaghetti dinner with my Easy Garlic Bread Bruschetta. You could also top it with crispy oven baked bacon to add a savory crunch.

    How to Store Leftovers

    • Store leftover spaghetti in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
    • When reheating your pasta, I recommend adding a little bit of water to keep the sauce nice and creamy.

    Quick Cream Cheese Spaghetti

    This quick Cream Cheese Spaghetti offers a comforting, cheesy, and creamy pasta dinner that's downright delicious!

    Prep Time5 minutes mins

    Cook Time10 minutes mins

    Total Time15 minutes mins

    Course: Dinner

    Cuisine: American, Mediterranean

    Keyword: cream cheese pasta, creamy pasta sauce, spaghetti recipe

    Servings: 6 servings

    Calories: 450kcal

    Author: Katerina | Easy Weeknight Recipes

    Ingredients

    • 16 ounces dry spaghetti
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature, cut into cubes
    • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
    • cup cooking water, plus more if needed
    • salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
    • cracked black pepper, red pepper flakes, and/or chopped fresh parsley, for garnish, optional

    Instructions

    • Cook spaghetti according to the directions on the package. Do not drain it yet.

    • In the meantime, heat olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat.

    • Add garlic to the oil and cook for 20 to 30 seconds or until fragrant. Do not burn the garlic.

    • Increase heat to medium-high; add cream cheese to the skillet and ⅔ cup of the cooking pasta water.

    • Whisk the cream cheese and water until well combined.

    • Whisk in the parmesan cheese; taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly. If needed, add more water to reach desired sauce consistency.

    • Drain the spaghetti and return the spaghetti back to the cooking pot.

    • Add the cream cheese sauce to the spaghetti; stir until combined.

    • Garnish with black pepper, red pepper flakes, and/or chopped parsley.

    • Serve and enjoy!

    Notes

    • Pasta Water: To enhance the sauce’s flavor and adherence to the spaghetti, incorporate pasta water instead of plain water. You can also adjust the sauce’s consistency to your liking by adding more pasta water to thin out the sauce.
    • Cube the Cream Cheese: Cutting the cream cheese into smaller cubes helps to achieve a creamy, lump-free sauce.
    • Store Leftovers: Keep any remaining pasta in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 191mg | Potassium: 221mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 544IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 1mg

    cheesepastaspaghetti

    Quick Cream Cheese Spaghetti Recipe (2024)

    FAQs

    How to make spaghetti with cheese sauce? ›

    Directions
    1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
    2. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
    3. Return pasta to pot and place over low heat. Stir in butter until melted. Stir in milk and cheese until melted and smooth. Season with garlic powder and pepper and serve.

    How to make simple spaghetti better? ›

    Try browning Italian sausage or just ground pork then adding tomato or spaghetti sauce and letting that cook for a while. The flavor is amazing and the grease from the sausage will stick to the noodles. You could also cook the noodles until their almost done and add them to the sauce to finish.

    What can I do with too much cream cheese? ›

    Leftover cream cheese recipes
    1. Omelette. Enrich a thick, grilled frittata with cream cheese. ...
    2. Cakes and bakes. While other dairy products like yogurt or buttermilk can be used within a cake batter, cream cheese is best reserved as a topping. ...
    3. The ultimate sandwich. ...
    4. Fondue. ...
    5. Frosting. ...
    6. Sauces. ...
    7. Cheat's cheesecake. ...
    8. Meatballs.

    Can you use cream cheese to thicken spaghetti sauce? ›

    Another quick fix is to add cheese: freshly grated Parmesan will add umami and thicken the sauce. Cream cheese is one of our favorite secret ingredients and will thicken a tomato sauce quickly. On the downside, it will also change the flavor of the sauce.

    What is the best cheese for spaghetti? ›

    #1.

    Parmesan is a hard cheese, and it's perfect for grating and melting. Tomato-based pasta dishes such as spaghetti bolognese become much more authentic when topped with parmesan, while this type of cheese is called for in a traditional alfredo recipe, as well as carbonara, lasagna, and a four-cheese sauce recipe.

    What can I add to spaghetti to make it amazing? ›

    8 Ways to Elevate Canned Spaghetti Sauce
    1. 1 - Extra virgin olive oil. Adding a good amount of a flavorful olive oil will go a long way in infusing flavor into your sauce. ...
    2. 2 - Fresh garlic. ...
    3. 3 - Meat. ...
    4. 4 - Hot pepper flakes. ...
    5. 5 - Red wine. ...
    6. 6 - Fresh or dried herbs. ...
    7. 7 - Cheese. ...
    8. 8 - Cream and/or butter.
    Feb 26, 2018

    What can you put in spaghetti sauce to make it taste better? ›

    Olives and capers add a punch of briny goodness and give tomato sauce some real personality. Toss in some chopped or whole, pitted olives and/or a handful of drained capers after heating the sauce for several minutes. Or, if you're adding garlic or sautéed vegetables, add to the sauté just before you pour in the sauce.

    When not to use cream cheese? ›

    Cream cheese that has been continuously refrigerated can last for several weeks. “Cream cheese packages that haven't been opened can be used for up to two to three weeks past their best by date,” Edwards says. “Once opened, it's best to use cream cheese within ten days.

    What is the best way to mix up cream cheese? ›

    You can beat cream cheese with a mixer or food processor or warm it up slightly in a microwave or warm water bath. You can also use these techniques to soften Neufchâtel which is a lower-fat cheese that is very similar and often interchangeable with cream cheese.

    Can I use cream cheese instead of cream? ›

    Cream cheese will work as a one-to-one substitute for heavy cream. Keep in mind that cream cheese may alter the taste and texture of the final product, so make sure to use it in suitable recipes in which the flavors will work together, such as in creamy soups or cheesy sauces.

    What is the quickest way to soften cream cheese? ›

    Pretty Fast: In Warm Water
    1. Place the unopened aluminum-foil-wrapped cream cheese in a ziplock bag.
    2. Push all of the air out of the bag before sealing it.
    3. Fill a large bowl (or the sink) with warm water.
    4. Place the bag of cream cheese in the warm water.
    5. Submerge it for about 10 minutes or until the cream cheese is soft.
    Nov 21, 2023

    Is eating a lot of cream cheese bad for you? ›

    While cream cheese is high in fat and calories, it also contains essential nutrients like calcium, vitamin A, and protein. Consuming cream cheese in moderation can be part of a healthy diet, especially if you choose lower-fat varieties or pair it with nutritious foods like whole-grain bread and fresh vegetables.

    Why does cream cheese go bad so quickly? ›

    Cheese making started as a method to preserve milk and most cheeses are intended for long term storage. Cream cheese is a post refrigeration invention though, it is not preserved in the same way other cheeses are and goes bad much faster.

    Should I add pasta water to cheese sauce? ›

    If you want your pasta to have a long, happy marriage with its sauce, it's best to cook them together with a little of the pasta-cooking water. Plus, that method reduces the chance of overcooking the pasta, since the pasta cooks more slowly once it's simmering in its sauce.

    Can you melt cheese into pasta sauce? ›

    Combine cream and butter in a saucepan over medium heat; stir frequently until butter melts, and bring to a simmer. Gradually stir in Parmesan, mozzarella, provolone, and Romano. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, just until cheese melts. Serve immediately; sauce will thicken upon standing.

    How do you melt cheese over pasta? ›

    It depends what cheese it is, but in general you can melt the cheese in a pan, adding a bit of milk if the cheese does not melt well, cook the pasta in another pot and then add it to the cheese sauce. Add a bit pepper if you like, just before eating.

    How do you melt cheese to add to pasta? ›

    💡One effortless way to make cheese sauce is to melt butter in a skillet over low heat, adding grated cheese a little at a time. You'll want each batch of cheese to be completely melted into the butter before putting in the next addition.

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