Creamy Four Cheese Pasta with Garlic

Written by
Leah Maroney
A recipe developer and food photographer, Leah Maroney is an ardent home cook and food blogger who has written over 300 recipes for The Spruce Eats.
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Leah Maroney
Updated 08/03/19
creamy four cheese spaghetti
Leah Maroney
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
977 Calories
65g Fat
64g Carbs
37g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 977
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 65g 84%
Saturated Fat 37g 185%
Cholesterol 176mg 59%
Sodium 872mg 38%
Total Carbohydrate 64g 23%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Protein 37g
Calcium 769mg 59%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Italian cuisine is big on cheeses, boasting over 400 types, and although Parmesan is the most well known around the world, there are many others that deserve a place of honor on our tables. In this recipe, we add the tanginess of Parmesan and the bite of Asiago and Pecorino Romano to a cream cheese base to create a thick and creamy sauce. The garlic cooked in butter and olive oil provides beautiful character and brings together this flavorful dish.

This pasta is a quick and easy dish, made in under 30 minutes, a complete and hearty meal when served with a green salad or a side of vegetables.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 ounces cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
  • 1/4 cup Asiago cheese
  • 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 8 ounces cooked spaghetti (reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped Italian parsley

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Bring water to a boil in a tall pasta pot, add salt generously, and cook the spaghetti according to the package directions for al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water after the spaghetti has finished cooking. Strain the spaghetti and rinse with warm water to prevent it from sticking together while you prepare the sauce.

  3. In a large skillet at high temperature, heat the butter and olive oil. Reduce the heat to low, add the minced garlic, and cook until fragrant (be careful not to brown the garlic as it will change the flavor).

  4. Using a whisk, stir in the heavy cream and gradually add the cream cheese and Romano, Parmesan (1/2 cup), and Asiago cheeses until you achieve a thick sauce consistency.

  5. Add the cooked spaghetti and reserved pasta water to the sauce.

  6. Season with salt and pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring and tossing the pasta until it is completely coated with the sauce. Leave in the skillet or transfer to a serving dish. Top with chopped parsley and the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. 

  7. Serve the pasta in warm bowls to keep the cheese sauce creamy while eating. Enjoy!

Don't Overcook

  • The key is to cook the pasta to an al dente texture. When too soft, it will become mushy when tossed with the cheese sauce because it continues cooking.

Add-ons and Substitutions

  • For meat lovers: Add chicken or shrimp for a heartier meal. Crunchy bits of bacon are also great toppings.
  • For vegetarians: Add sauteed broccolini or broccoli rabe as a side dish, or toss baby kale and pears with olive oil and lime juice for a tangy salad.
  • For carb lovers: Make garlic bread and serve warm with your pasta.
  • Pasta options: You can substitute spaghetti with any dry or fresh pasta you like. For gluten-free diets, use rice or legume pasta but remember those types of pasta tend to clump together when cooked if not tossed in the sauce immediately after straining.