Do You Cook Pasta Before Making Pasta Bake
It depends on the recipe, so its always best to follow baked pasta recipes as theyre written. For this recipe, we are boiling the pasta first.
That gives us a chance to flavor the pasta from the inside by boiling it in a combination of beef broth and water. It also makes it possible to make a really creamy sauce, which would be harder to achieve if the pasta wasnt already cooked.
How To Make Chicken Broccoli Pasta Bake
Bring a large pot of pasta to a boil, salt it generously and cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the package. Add the broccoli florets to the pasta water for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, deep pan or a Dutch oven and add the diced chicken. Cook for 4-5 minutes over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through and slightly golden.
Add the leek and garlic and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes. Preheat the oven to 190°C .
Add the chicken stock, deglaze the pan, add the cream cheese and stir until completely melted. Turn off the heat.
Transfer the cooked pasta and broccoli to the pan and toss with the sauce.
Stir in half of the grated mozzarella and adjust the seasoning.
Transfer the pasta to a baking dish and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top.
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Allow the pasta dish to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Cream Cheese Pasta Recipe
by Helen Best-ShawLast Updated on
Easy, cheesy and comforting, this cream cheese pasta recipe makes the perfect week night supper! This easy Philly spaghetti is ready in the time that it takes to cook the pasta. It comes with a silky smooth creamy cheese sauce thanks to my simple pasta hack that every Italian knows!
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How To Store Pasta With Cream Cheese
If you have leftovers, allow the pasta cream cheese to cool down completely before transferring them into an airtight container. You can store leftover pasta in the fridge, and it should stay good for up to three days.
When you are ready to eat, you can simply reheat individual portions in the microwave or bigger batches on the stovetop! If the cream cheese pasta sauce is too thick, you can add a splash of broth or milk to make it creamy again. I do not recommend freezing, as the white sauce can become grainy when thawed.
So next time you are in need of a quick yet reliable dish made to impress, this Cream Cheese Pasta recipe is it! Its something that you can whip up in a flash, but tastes like a million bucks!
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The Best Cream Cheese Pasta Recipe
It is super easy and is done without any fanfare, but it is anything but bland or boring. The combination of Italian seasoning, cream cheese, and parmesan gives the cheesy white sauce full-on, comforting flavors that will burst in your mouth. I also added a pinch of red pepper flakes to give it a punch of heat that will tantalize your tastebuds.
The pasta and the sauce are both cooked in a deep skillet or Dutch oven, which concentrates all the goodness of the aromatics, herbs, spices, and white wine into the dish. Not only will you be getting a flavorful dish in minutes, but clean-up will also be a breeze! And if you have some veggies in your chiller that you need to use ASAP, this recipe is the perfect way to use them.
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The Best Cream Cheese Pasta
This cream cheese pasta is one of my absolute favorite things to make. It is the epitome of comfort food in my mind, and it is extremely easy to make. While this recipe is easy, there is one strategy to it that sometimes trips people up. That being the emulsification of the oil and Philadelphia cream cheese with the starchy pasta water.
Since this in my mind is basically an adult mac and cheese I decided to use an adult type of pasta. I chose lumache, which is a shell shaped pasta and named with the Italian word for snails. I find it perfect for thick sauces such as the one used in this cream cheese pasta.
While the sauce is primarily cream cheese based, I did flavor it up with some chopped shallot and garlic. Im able to buy these great large shallots here in Ukraine which have such a strong flavor, but you can use a small one if thats easier to find.
To make the sauce, you just saute the shallot and garlic in quite a bit of good olive oil, then when they are getting cooked, add in the cream cheese and whisk together. It doesnt emulsify well at the time, so I just keep it on low heat whisking until the paste is somewhat mixed. Then, I add a third of a cup of pasta water and everything mixes up into a nice rich cream cheese pasta sauce.
Next, just drop the drained pasta into the sauce and give everything a good mix. I turn off the heat since I dont want the sauce to separate or cook more, but it will still stay hot enough to serve right from the pan.
How To Make This Philadelphia Chicken Recipe
Start by seasoning both sides of the sliced chicken breast with salt and pepper. Then add half of the oil into a wide/ deep pan, increasing the heat to high. Add the chicken to the hot pan and fry each side for 3 minutes .
Set the chicken aside. Deglaze the sticky meaty bits on the bottom of the pan with a splash of water & add the remaining oil, along with the onion. Reduce the heat and fry the onions for around 5 minutes.
Then, add the garlic, zest of half a lemon, and tarragon. Fry for a couple of minutes. Reducing heat to low, add the cream cheese into the pan.
Slowly pour the chicken stock into the pan slowly whilst continuously stirring until combined. Stir the cornflour slurry into the pan. Place the seared chicken breast back into the pan and increase the heat to medium/low.
Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. During this time add the spaghetti to heavily salted pasta water. Blanch the courgetti for the final one minute of cook time.
Serve the creamy Philadelphia chicken with a portion of spaghetti and courgettie. Top with fresh basil and black pepper, enjoy!
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How To Use Starchy Pasta Water In Cream Cheese Pasta
Two really important factors to consider. First is you want the pasta water to be properly seasoned with salt. This ensures it doesnt dilute the flavour of the sauce. Second, youll want to scoop the pasta water out JUST before draining. This will ensure the water is nice and starchy, which in turn is what ensures the sauce goes nice and creamy.
Cream Cheese And Sausage Pasta Bake
A baked pasta dish is classic comfort food. We already know how comforting pasta and sauce is to everyone, but when its baked in the oven with tons of cheese, the comfort level goes up and the stresses of our day go down. We can rest easy when we know that a deliciously simple meal like this waiting for us at the end of the day. A pasta bake is a great way to meal prep a dish like this can be made on the weekend and either eaten right away or tucked away in the freezer to make a grand appearance later in the week. Our cream cheese sausage pasta bake is an amazing meal that we think is just as good as a weeknight family supper as it is for a dinner party.
The sauce is the true star of the show here and by adding heavy cream and cream cheese to the tomato-based sauce, were making something truly special. A package of ground mild Italian sausage is a great way to bring amazing flavor into a pasta sauce, and we really love what it does to make this pasta bake so outstanding. Of course, we add some flair the sauce with ingredients like fresh minced garlic, a little red pepper flake for just a little bit of heat, and what pasta dish is complete without some fresh basil leaves added into the mix. The next ingredients will turn the sauce into a luxurious creamy coating for all those noodles: cream cheese and heavy cream. Need we say more? These melt into the tomato and sausage sauce, adding an irresistibly rich creaminess that is just too-too good.
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How To Store And Reheat Leftovers
- To store leftover shrimp pasta, place in airtight containers and refrigerate for up to three days.
- To reheat, place leftovers in a covered skillet over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just heated through. Its fine to add a splash of milk, cream, or even a bit of water if the pasta seems dry.
Salmon Cream Cheese Pasta
Add a few tender slices of grilled, pan-fried, or baked salmon to give your pasta dish a more elegant flair! Turn your homey cheese pasta into a restaurant-worthy dish by adding fresh spinach and serving it topped with baked salmon filets! All you need is your favorite red wine to enjoy a romantic dinner for two! Other seafood options are tuna, shrimp, and mussels.
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How To Make Pasta Cream Cheese
This pasta with cheese sauce is so easy to make! Everything comes together in one pot with just a few simple ingredients and 30 minutes!
How To Make The Best Cream Cheese Pasta Recipe
Below is the complete printable recipe card, along with some of the step-by-step photos! Scroll up for more in-depth instructional photos!
- 1largeShallot small dice
- 3-4ClovesGarlic thinly sliced
- 1 ½tspItalian Seasonings
- ¼tspCrushed Red Pepper Flakes or more to taste
- Kosher Salt & Ground Black Pepper to taste
- 1/3CupDry White Wine optional
- 3CupsReduced-Sodium Chicken Broth or Vegetable broth
- 12ouncesFettuccine
- 6ouncesBlock-Style Cream Cheese cut into small cubes
- ¼CupWhole Milk more or less, to taste
- 1Cupfreshly grated Parmesan Cheese plus more for garnish
- 3-4TBSFresh Flat-leaf Parsley plus more for garnish
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An Easy Creamy Pasta With Shrimp
You know, cooking with cream cheese is kind of magical. It makes a Danish dazzle, creates a velvety masterpiece when making a cheesecake, and its also the perfect easy way to make a creamy sauce! Which is the secret to this creamy pasta.
Well, actually this is a two-secret dish. Because in this recipe, instead of making a skillet pasta sauce, the sauce is going in the oven! Juicy tomatoes go in there, too, along with fresh garlic. The result?
Bursting roasted tomatoes stirred into a creamy block of cheese thats golden on the outside, and melted on the inside. Oh my gosh, thats some serious Yum.
Baked Cream Cheese Pasta What You Need
The star of the show in this dish is most definitely the CREAM CHEESE! Youll love how creamy it makes the sauce, as well as the delicious flavor it gives the entire dish. Youll need:
- Cream cheese: We used a brick of full-fat cream cheese as the base for this dish, but a block of reduced fat cream cheese will also work.
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Recipe Notes And Tips
- You can deglaze the pot with some white wine before adding the stock.
- If youre not too concerned about the calories and fat, you can increase the amount of cheese you use.
- Use a mix of grated mozzarella and grated cheddar for an extra cheesy pasta bake.
If you liked this chicken broccoli pasta bake, you might also like some of my other easy pasta recipes with chicken:
How To Make Philly Cheesesteak Pasta
Start by boiling the pasta in a combination of beef broth and water. Once thats finished cooking, reserve some pasta water, drain the pasta, and set it aside. Sauté the beef in butter in the Dutch oven, then sauté the bell peppers and onions in the remaining butter.
Add the garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme, and sauté until the garlic is aromatic. Add the cream cheese and reserved pasta water, and stir until the cream cheese has melted.
Once the cream cheese is totally melted, mix in the sour cream.
Add in the cooked pasta and beef strips and mix to combine.
Top the pasta with sliced provolone, then bake uncovered in a preheated oven until the cheese is melted. Finish it off by broiling it until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly. See the recipe card below for the full written instructions, including ingredient amounts, cooking times, and helpful tips, etc.
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What You Will Need
- Spaghetti – We used quick cook spaghetti to keep the recipe to just 10 minutes. However, you could use any pasta you like. We love spaghetti because the sauce really clings to it.
- Cream cheese – The star of the dish! You want to use the best quality cream cheese you can as you will be able to taste the difference. A better quality one will be creamier, but if you wanted to keep it less expensive, than a supermarket brand one will be fine. You can use full fat or reduced fat, but the full fat one will have more flavour.
- Parmesan – You can never have too much cheese, right? This makes it extra cheese and it has such a strong flavour too, so a little goes a long way.
- Butter – An ingredient you probably always have in your fridge. We cook some garlic in butter to start off the sauce, and it adds some extra flavour to help cut through all the cheesiness.
- Garlic – Optional, but totally recommended. Freshly crushed is always best, but you can use ready crushed garlic from a jar if you prefer.
- Salt & Pepper – Season to taste.
- Pasta water – This is our “secret” ingredient in every pasta dish and something that every Italian uses in their cooking. Adding a little bit of the starchy pasta water makes the sauce really silky smooth and cling to the pasta. It also loosens the sauce up a little, helping it go further.
A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
What Goes Into This Chicken And Broccoli Pasta Casserole
Pasta Any type of short pasta would do here I usually make this pasta bake with fussili, but penne or rigatoni are also perfect.
Broccoli Its best to buy a fresh broccoli head and cut it into florets. You can also make this pasta bake with frozen broccoli.
Chicken Chicken breast is lean and tender and just perfect in this casserole. If youre not too worried about calories and want more flavour, use boneless chicken thighs instead.
Leek Sauteeing the chicken with leek instead of onion infuses this pasta bake with so much flavour.
Garlic Add as much garlic as you want I like to use at least two fat cloves.
Chicken stock Shop-bought or homemade chicken stock both work in this recipe.
Cream cheese I used light Philadelphia cream cheese. If you dont necessarily want to make this pasta bake skinny, you can use full-fat cream cheese instead.
Grated mozzarella Reduced fat grated mozzarella can be difficult to find, but since you dont need too much, you can use full-fat mozzarella here.
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Faq: Fettuccine Alfredo With Cream Cheese
Below you will find common questions and answers pertaining to this recipe for pasta with cream cheese!
- Can I omit the wine? If you prefer to leave the wine out, you can! Simply omit that step from the recipe. However, please note that the wine adds acidity to this creamy pasta. Therefore, if you omit it, I recommend finishing the pasta with a fresh lemon juice or Balsamic Vinegar before serving!
- Can I reduce garlic? Yes, you may. I find using 3 to 4 cloves to be suited for this recipe. But if you are not a garlic fan, you can reduce it to 1 or 2 cloves. On the other hand, if you like it extra garlicky, adding a clove or two also works!
- Is this pasta dish vegetarian-friendly? Everything on the ingredient list is appropriate for a vegetarian diet except for the chicken broth and parmesan cheese. You can use vegetable broth instead and dairy-free parmesan cheese.
- Can I make it vegan? This pasta recipe with cream cheese is easy to adapt to suit a vegan diet! Just make the necessary dairy-free substitutions for butter, milk, and cheese, then use vegetable broth.