Quick Cream Cheese Spaghetti

4.89 from 9 votes

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

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Mediterranean

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

Servings: servings

Calories: 450kcal

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
⅔ 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

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!

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.