When you want a quick & easy weeknight dinner, this Philadelphia Cream Cheese Pasta Sauce will come to the rescue. Just a few inexpensive ingredients, 25 minutes, & your favorite shape of pasta makes this one of the best family recipes.
Why this Cream Cheese Pasta Sauce Recipe is Amazing: My version is a simple one-pot method that's perfect for busy weeknight dinners - less clean up, you are welcome!
This dish is similar to creamy alfredo but there is no Parmesan cheese which has animal rennet, making this a great vegetarian option. The thick consistency and mild tangy flavor of cream cheese is rich tasting without needing any fancy ingredients.
This inspired by my recipe for Spicy Korean Gochujang Pasta where I also use cream cheese for a creamy touch. This pairs well with my Romano Green Beans Recipe for a complete meal. Ok, now we cook!
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Ingredients
Here are the 3 ingredients plus 3 spices needed to make this recipe. If you love pasta recipes with just a few ingredients, you will also love my Creamy Pesto Fava Bean Pasta that is only 4 ingredients.
Here are important notes for some ingredients:
- Pasta - any short tube pasta shape such as fusilli, penne, cavatappi, rigatoni, or macaroni.
- Philadelphia Cream Cheese - use a full-fat block: not whipped/soft tubs or low-fat/fat-free.
- Salted Butter - for the sauce & to help toast the spices for added flavor
- Spices - garlic powder, black pepper, & Italian seasoning
- Optional - salt & pepper to taste
See the recipe card for full list, quantities, & any substitutions/variations.
How to Make Pasta Sauce with Cream Cheese
This is a great way to make a creamy rich sauce for pasta when you don't have any heavy cream in the house. I started doing this when the kids were toddlers and we never looked back - it is still a favorite for teens & adults.
Here are the easy steps for making cream cheese pasta sauce:
- Cook Pasta
- Make Cream Cheese Sauce
See the step-by-step instructions with photos below plus the recipe card at the end of the post.
1 - Cook Pasta
Begin by bringing a large pot of salted water to boil.
Cook the dry pasta in boiling water until al dente. The fusilli I am using took 12 minutes.
Just before the pasta is ready, scoop out ⅓ - ½ cup of starchy pasta water. Set aside & then drain the cooked pasta in a colander.
2 - Make Cream Cheese Sauce
In the large pot, melt the butter over medium heat.
Add the dry spices: garlic powder, black pepper, and Italian seasoning to the melted butter.
Stir and cook the spices for 1 minute. This "toasting" of the herbs and spices adds so much flavor to the butter which sets this recipe above others. (do NOT skip this step)
Next dice the cream cheese into small pieces. Add the cooked pasta and the cream cheese to the pot and stir to coat.
Add a few splashes of the reserved pasta water to the pasta and stir. Repeat until you have the creamy consistency you prefer.
We like ours thick so ⅓ of a cup is our preference. Use ½ cup if you want a thin and light cream sauce.
Serving & Storing
Serve immediately in pasta bowl or plates. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Top with optional Parmesan cheese if desired.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat and make creamy again, add a bit more cream cheese & microwave for 30-60 seconds.
What to Serve with Cream Cheese Pasta : This basic dish has mild flavors so it goes well with just about anything. Serve it with a Simple Spinach Salad for a light lunch or with Homemade Ciabatta and Air Fryer Green Beans for a filling dinner.
Recipe Tips & Behind the Scenes
Here's my recipe for success - including what I learned when testing, fun stories, recipe history, and more.
- #1 Tip - make sure to save some starchy pasta water to give it the silky creamy texture that makes this irresistible.
- Do not skip toasting the spices in the butter - this flavor infusion is what makes my recipe better than others.
- All you need is one medium-sized pasta pot and a colander.
- This is a great recipe to use when you defrost frozen cream cheese.
- If you buy cream cheese in bulk from Costco like we do, try some of my yummy Cream Cheese Appetizer Recipes.
- This is a meatless fusilli pasta dish but if you want something with added protein, try my One-Pan Philly Cheesesteak Pasta Skillet Recipe.
- To sneak in some veggies your kids will eat, try adding steamed cauliflower (it hides well), broccoli, peas, or whatever your kid will eat.
- If you have hungry growing teenagers, make this for a quick after school snack - my kids love it that way!
FAQ
For a creamy tomato sauce, adding cream cheese to jarred marinara or homemade tomato sauce is a tasty shortcut. I did this all the time when I first moved out & is a simple recipe for college students.
I grew up on Philadelphia brand and it is my favorite plus it's easy to find in any grocery store. If you need a substitute try Tillamook, Trader Joe's, Organic Valley, Great Value, Kirkland, or Lucerne.
It is not vegan, but the pasta dish is vegetarian. I have not tested it but you can use a vegan cream cheese option & use olive oil instead of the butter.
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Philadelphia Cream Cheese Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ Pound dry fusilli pasta 8 ounces any short tube type; see note below
- 8 ounces Philadelphia Cream Cheese full-fat block
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup pasta cooking liquid ⅓-1/2 cup needed
- salt & pepper to taste optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Once boiling add the pasta and cook over a low boil until al dente (about 12 minutes) - stir occasionally as needed so the pasta does not stick.½ Pound dry fusilli pasta
- Reserve ½ cup of the starchy pasta water in a measuring cup with a pourable spout. Set aside.Drain the cooked pasta in a colander.
- In the empty pot melt the butter over medium heat.2 tablespoons salted butter
- Add the herbs and spices, stir into the butter. Cook for 1 minute to bring out the oils and flavors in the spices to infuse those flavors into the butter.½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Add the pasta back to the pot with the flavored butter.
- Cut the cream cheese into a dozen smaller pieces; add to pasta and stir to combine.8 ounces Philadelphia Cream Cheese
- Add a few splashes of the pasta water to the pasta and stir to combine. Repeat until you have the sauce consistency you desire. Turn off the heat once ready.½ cup pasta cooking liquid
- Serve immediately in pasta bowl or plates. Season to taste with salt & pepper if desired. Top with Parmesan cheese or even fresh herbs - optionalsalt & pepper to taste
Notes
- Store for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- To reheat leftovers, add a bit more cream cheese & microwave for 30-60 seconds. Stir to make it come together/get creamy again. Adjust with more cream cheese as needed.
- Use any short tube pasta shape such as penne, macaroni, rigatoni, rotini, cavatappi, or even farfalle (bowties)
- Do NOT use low-fat or fat-free cream cheese or any soft/sold in the tub.
- For a spicy version, add 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes for added heat.
Nutrition
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Sara says
Kids loved it!
Angela says
Awesome - love that!
Mary says
This was good but I did add a few splashes of cream. We like sauce that is more thin and I didn't save enough pasta water but it still worked. A very easy and forgiving recipe.
Angela says
Sounds great.