This Cream Cheese Pasta recipe is your weeknight dinner superhero, ready in just 10 minutes! Toss in your favorite veggies or leftover protein and you’ve got a comforting, flavorful meal on the table in a flash. Say goodbye to dinner stress and hello to one of your new favorite pasta recipes that the whole family will devour.
Weeknight dinners that are ready in a mere 10 minutes? That’s my kind of magic!
After a long day of work, school runs, after-school activities, and everything in between, sometimes the thought of cooking dinner feels… well, overwhelming.
That’s where this incredibly quick Cream Cheese Pasta recipe comes to the rescue. It’s a lifesaver, trust me.
It’s unbelievably simple, yet utterly satisfying!
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Why This Cream Cheese Pasta Recipe Will Become Your Go-To
⭐️ Lightning Fast: Seriously, it’s ready in just 10 minutes, making it perfect for those hectic evenings.
⭐️ Ingredient Versatility: Clear out your fridge! Use up any leftover veggies or cooked meats you have on hand. This recipe is incredibly adaptable.
⭐️ Family Favorite: Get ready for clean plates all around. Everyone, from picky eaters to adventurous foodies, will love the creamy, comforting flavor.
The Inspiration Behind This Creamy Pasta Creation
If you take a peek at my collection of cheesecake recipes, you’ll quickly realize I’m a bit of a cream cheese enthusiast. A tub of cream cheese is a fridge staple in my kitchen.
I wanted to create a recipe that offers real inspiration for those nights when you’re staring into the fridge, wondering what on earth to make for dinner. No planning, no defrosting required, and definitely no culinary degree needed.
Believe me when I say that a simple tub of humble cream cheese can be the foundation for a fantastic main course, any day of the week. Its mild flavor and creamy texture make it a crowd-pleaser, loved by adults and children alike.
My go-to combination often includes sweet petit pois and savory bacon for a delightful sweet and salty contrast, along with some chopped courgettes for added veggies. This trio is a winner, but the beauty of this dish is its endless customizability. Feel free to experiment with whatever vegetables or protein you have available and create your own signature cream cheese pasta masterpiece!
Key Ingredients for Your Cream Cheese Pasta
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Pasta: The foundation of our dish! Use any dried pasta shape you love. Penne, fusilli, spaghetti, farfalle – they all work wonderfully. Choose your favorite!
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Olive Oil: A drizzle of good quality olive oil helps to sauté our aromatics and bacon perfectly. Pro-tip: If you’re using a particularly fatty bacon like pancetta, you can skip the added oil altogether as the bacon will release enough of its own delicious fat.
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Bacon: Oh, bacon! It adds a wonderful smoky, salty depth to the pasta. Diced bacon, lardons, or pancetta all work beautifully. For a vegetarian option, see substitutions below!
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Onion and Garlic: The flavor base of so many great dishes. I often use pre-chopped frozen onion and garlic for ultimate convenience on busy weeknights. If using fresh, one medium onion (about 150g) and two cloves of garlic (about 10g) is the perfect amount.
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Courgettes (Zucchini): A mild and versatile vegetable that cooks quickly and adds a lovely texture. Dice them into small pieces so they cook through evenly. But remember, you can swap these out for any vegetables you have!
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Petit Pois (Peas): Sweet, tender petit pois add a pop of color and sweetness. Frozen peas are perfect and convenient.
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Cream Cheese: The star of the show! Use your preferred brand of cream cheese. No need to splurge on Philadelphia – supermarket own brands work just as well. You can even use reduced-fat cream cheese to lighten it up a bit. The sauce will be slightly less rich and creamy, but still incredibly tasty.
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Parmesan Cheese: Optional, but highly recommended! A sprinkle of grated Parmesan adds a salty, umami finish to the dish.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Cream Cheese Pasta
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Get the Pasta Going: Start by cooking your pasta in a large pot of boiling, generously salted water according to package directions.
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Sauté the Flavor Base: While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil (or bacon fat) in a large saucepan or deep skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon, diced onion, and minced garlic. Cook until the bacon is lightly browned and the onions are softened and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes. Add the diced courgettes and continue to sauté until they begin to soften, another 3-5 minutes.
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Add Peas to Pasta Water: About 3-4 minutes before the pasta is done cooking, toss the frozen petit pois into the boiling pasta water. This way, they’ll cook perfectly and you save on washing an extra pan!
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Create the Creamy Sauce: Reduce the heat under the vegetable and bacon mixture to low. Stir in the cream cheese, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. For an extra flavor boost, add the grated Parmesan cheese now as well (optional). Ladle in a couple of spoonfuls of the starchy pasta water – this is the magic ingredient that will help create a smooth and luscious sauce. Stir everything together until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is beautifully creamy.
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Combine and Serve: Drain the cooked pasta and peas and add them directly to the saucepan with the cream cheese sauce and vegetables. Toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated in the creamy sauce.
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Serve Immediately: Serve your delicious cream cheese pasta hot, garnished with extra Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs like parsley or basil, if desired. Enjoy!
Variations and Substitutions
- Vegetarian Cream Cheese Pasta: Easily make this dish vegetarian by simply omitting the bacon. To add a savory element, consider adding a pinch of smoked paprika to the sauce or using sautéed mushrooms or sun-dried tomatoes instead of bacon.
Storing Leftovers
Refrigerator: Cream cheese pasta is fantastic as leftovers! Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. It’s delicious cold or reheated. If reheating, you might need to add a splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce as the pasta tends to absorb it upon cooling.
Freezer: While you can freeze cream cheese pasta leftovers, I generally don’t recommend it for the best texture. Pasta can sometimes become a bit mushy after freezing and thawing. However, if you have leftovers and want to freeze them for a quick lunch, it’s perfectly safe. Just be aware that the texture might be slightly altered when reheated.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to use Philadelphia brand cream cheese for this pasta?
Absolutely not! While Philadelphia is a popular brand, any type of cream cheese will work perfectly in this pasta dish. Feel free to use supermarket own brands or whatever you have on hand. You can even experiment with flavored cream cheeses like garlic and herb for an extra layer of flavor. Full-fat or reduced-fat cream cheese both work – just note that reduced-fat will result in a slightly less rich and creamy sauce.
Can I prepare this cream cheese pasta in advance?
While you could technically cook the pasta and sauce separately ahead of time, I wouldn’t recommend fully assembling the dish in advance. This recipe is so incredibly quick to make fresh, and the creamy sauce is truly at its best when served immediately. However, as mentioned earlier, leftovers are great cold or reheated the next day for lunch!
Let me know in the comments below how your cream cheese pasta turns out and what variations you tried! Don’t forget to rate the recipe using the stars ⭐️ below.
I’d LOVE to see your culinary creations! Share your photos with me on Instagram by tagging me @tamingtwins or using #tamingtwinsrecipes.
Rated 4.98 from 42 votes
Cream Cheese Pasta: Your 10-Minute Weeknight Dinner Solution
By Sarah Rossi
This Cream Cheese Pasta recipe is your secret weapon for super speedy 10-minute midweek meals. Simply add whatever vegetables or protein you have in your refrigerator and you’re all set for a delicious and satisfying dinner.
Prep Time: 0 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4 Servings
Ingredients
- 300 g Dried pasta (See notes for pasta type suggestions)
- 1 tsp Olive oil (See notes for oil alternatives)
- 250 g Bacon, cut into small pieces
- 1 Onion, peeled and finely chopped (See notes for onion quantity)
- 2 cloves Garlic, peeled and finely chopped (See notes for garlic quantity)
- 3 Courgettes (Zucchini), trimmed and cut into small pieces
- 200 g Petit pois, frozen
- 250 g Cream cheese, any kind (See notes for cream cheese variations)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 50 g Parmesan cheese, grated (Optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.
- While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large saucepan or deep frying pan over medium heat. Fry bacon, onion, and garlic until softened and bacon begins to brown, about 5-7 minutes. Add courgettes and cook until slightly softened, about 3-5 minutes more.
- In the last 3-4 minutes of pasta cooking time, add frozen peas to the boiling pasta water.
- Reduce heat under the vegetable pan to low. Stir in cream cheese, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese (if using). Ladle in a couple of spoonfuls of pasta water and stir until smooth and creamy.
- Drain pasta and peas and add them to the saucepan with vegetables and cream cheese sauce. Toss to combine and coat pasta evenly.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Pasta: Any dried pasta shape will work well. Consider penne, fusilli, spaghetti, or farfalle. Check the package for specific cooking times.
Oil: If using a fatty bacon like pancetta, you can omit the added olive oil.
Onions and Garlic: For convenience, pre-chopped frozen onion and garlic can be used. One medium onion weighs approximately 150g, and one clove of garlic is about 5g (use 10g or 2 tsp of pre-chopped garlic).
Cream cheese: Use any brand of cream cheese, including supermarket own brands or flavored varieties. Reduced-fat cream cheese can be used, but the sauce will be less rich.
Vegetarian: To make this a vegetarian dish, simply leave out the bacon or substitute with a plant-based bacon alternative or other vegetables.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 618kcal
Carbohydrates: 77g
Protein: 37g
Fat: 18g
Saturated Fat: 9g
Cholesterol: 42mg
Sodium: 1765mg
Potassium: 900mg
Fiber: 7g
Sugar: 14g
Vitamin A: 1120IU
Vitamin C: 50mg
Calcium: 304mg
Iron: 3mg
Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary based on specific ingredients used.
Additional Information
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Family Food
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