Description
A versatile and creamy pasta dish that can be customized with various vegetables and made dairy-free if desired.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound pasta (penne, fusilli, or bowties)
- 2 cups heavy cream (or coconut cream for dairy-free)
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast for dairy-free)
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjustable)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional vegetables (spinach, peas, or cherry tomatoes)
- Fresh herbs for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Sauté onions until translucent, then add garlic and red pepper flakes.
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Add heavy cream to the skillet and simmer until slightly reduced.
- Add Parmesan cheese and stir until melted.
- Add cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to combine.
- Add any optional vegetables and cook until just heated through.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with fresh herbs and serve hot.
Notes
- For dairy-free version, use coconut cream and nutritional yeast.
- Medium pasta shapes work best for sauce adherence.
- Add vegetables in the last few minutes of cooking.
- If sauce is too watery, simmer uncovered until desired consistency.
- Adjust spiciness by varying the amount of red pepper flakes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 380mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: creamy pasta, versatile pasta dish, customizable pasta, dairy-free option, vegetarian pasta
