Creamy Milk Pasta One-Pot (Printable)

Comforting pasta simmered in milk with garlic, butter, and Parmesan for a rich sauce.

# What you'll need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)

→ Dairy

02 - 4 cups whole milk
03 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter
04 - 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Aromatics & Seasoning

05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
07 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - Pinch of nutmeg (optional)

→ Garnish

09 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
10 - Extra Parmesan cheese, for serving

# Method:

01 - Melt the unsalted butter in a large deep skillet or wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
02 - Pour in the whole milk and heat gently, bringing it just to a simmer without boiling.
03 - Add the pasta, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg if using. Stir thoroughly to prevent sticking.
04 - Cook uncovered, stirring frequently for 12 to 15 minutes, until pasta is al dente and the milk has mostly thickened to a creamy sauce. Add a splash of milk if the sauce thickens too rapidly.
05 - Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until fully melted and the sauce is smooth. Adjust seasoning if needed.
06 - Remove from heat and serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • One pot means one thing to wash, and honestly that alone makes weeknight dinners feel manageable.
  • The milk becomes a silky sauce without cream or heavy ingredients, which somehow tastes indulgent but feels lighter.
  • It's genuinely faster than boiling water in one pan and making sauce in another, which sounds impossible until you try it.
02 -
  • Don't let the milk boil hard or it can curdle and turn grainy—keep it at a gentle simmer and watch it carefully.
  • Add the Parmesan off heat so it melts smoothly instead of clumping, which makes the difference between silky and sandy sauce.
  • Taste constantly because milk mutes salt more than water does, and you might need more seasoning than you'd expect.
03 -
  • Keep your heat at medium and don't rush the simmering process, because high heat is how milk breaks and turns grainy instead of staying creamy.
  • Stir the pasta constantly once it goes into the milk because the bottom of the pan is where pasta loves to stick and scorch.
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