Creamy Milk Pasta One-Pot (Print View)

Cook pasta directly in milk for a luxuriously creamy, comforting dish ready in 25 minutes.

# 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 cloves garlic, 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

# How To Make It:

01 - Melt butter in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant without browning.
02 - Pour in whole milk and heat gently until it just begins to simmer, avoiding boiling.
03 - Add short pasta, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg if using. Stir thoroughly to prevent sticking.
04 - Cook uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently until pasta is al dente and milk has thickened into a creamy sauce. Add additional milk if sauce thickens too quickly.
05 - Stir in grated Parmesan cheese until fully melted and sauce is silky smooth. Adjust seasoning as desired.
06 - Remove from heat and serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pan, so you spend less time cleaning and more time eating
  • The starch from the pasta naturally thickens the milk into the most luxurious sauce without any heavy cream
02 -
  • Keep the heat at medium or lower, because high heat will scorch the milk and there is no coming back from that taste
  • Stir more frequently than you think you need to, especially near the end when the sauce starts getting thick and clingy
03 -
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh from a block, because the pre-grated stuff has anti-caking agents that keep it from melting smoothly
  • Room temperature milk comes to a simmer more gently and is less likely to curdle or separate
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