Cavatappi pasta with a rich, garlicky parmesan cream sauce – this is the kind of dinner that feels way more impressive than the effort it takes! It’s on the table in 20 minutes, and that sauce? Silky, flavorful, and it clings to every twist of the noodle in the best way.
Love a simple pasta recipe? You need to try our Easy Baked Ziti as well as our Pesto Pasta recipe AND our Creamy Lemon Pasta!
Why you’ll love this 20 minute pasta recipe
This is easily one of my favorite pasta shapes because those grooves REALLY help the sauce cling on! Ultra creamy with so much flavor, this cavatappi pasta recipe is special enough for a romantic dinner, but is so easy, it can be thrown together for the kids with no problem! This one’s a winner, guys! Don’t delay… make it tonight!
Why you’ll love this:
Ready in 20 minutes – genuinely
Just 8 ingredients, all easy to find
Works as a main dish or a side dish
Easy to customize with whatever protein or veggies you have
Easily made dairy-free or vegan with simple swaps!
In this post…
What is Cavatappi Pasta?Ingredients neededHow to Make ItRecipe TipsFrequently Asked QuestionsCavatappi Pasta with Cream Sauce Recipe
What is Cavatappi Pasta?
Cavatappi is pasta perfection! The name, Cavatappi, means corkscrew in Italian and the noodles are corkscrew-shaped and ridged, so they cling to all that creamy sauce! The fun, spiral shape works well with thick sauces (like this cream sauce) or chunky sauces like my taco pasta or a meat sauce! The twisting shape will catch all of the sauce in the curves for delicious flavor in every bite. Try using cavatappi pasta to make my vegan mac & cheese – total game changer!
Ingredients needed
The ingredients for this recipe are listed fully down in the recipe card but let’s briefly go over the pantry staples needed including a few substitutions you can make as desired!
Cavatappi pasta – the corkscrew shape and ridges grab onto cream sauce better than almost any other pasta; rigatoni, penne, or fusilli all work as substitutes – really any short pasta!
Butter – the base of the sauce and adds great richness; use dairy-free butter if needed. Olive oil also works well!
Garlic – fresh is really worth it here; jarred garlic tends to muddy the flavor of a sauce this simple
Flour – just a few tablespoons to thicken the sauce to that perfect creamy consistency
Broth – veggie broth is what I use, but chicken broth works too – just use what you have
Milk – any milk works, including plant-based; just make sure it’s plain and unflavored
Italian seasoning – one simple blend is all you need to let the parmesan really shine
Parmesan cheese – freshly grated from a block melts much better than the pre-shredded kind; for a vegan version, Violife parmesan is great or use my homemade vegan parmesan
How to Make It
Just a reminder that you can find the FULL written recipe down in the recipe card, but I want to quickly go over how to make them with visuals for you 🙂
Start the sauce. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat, add in garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
Finish the sauce. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Mix in the broth, milk, Italian seasoning, cheese, salt and pepper. Stir until fully combined and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce is thickened and the cheese has melted.
Boil pasta. Start a pot of salted boiling water and cook the cavatappi noodles according to package directions. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Once cooked, drain and set aside.
Combine pasta with cream sauce. Stir the cooked, drained pasta into the sauce to fully coat. Plate the pasta with steamed broccoli florets or a simple green salad and add a garnish of fresh parsley and red pepper flakes for color.
Recipe Tips
Grate your own parmesan. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy. Grab a block and grate it fresh – it melts SO much better!
Don’t skip the flour step. That 1-minute cook on the flour is what gives the sauce body. Rush it and you’ll taste raw flour.
Salt your pasta water generously. This is where most of the pasta’s flavor comes from – don’t skip it.
Reserve a splash of pasta water. If your sauce thickens up more than you’d like when tossing with the noodles, a tablespoon or two of starchy pasta water loosens it right back up.
Serve immediately. Cream sauces thicken fast as they cool. Have everything ready to go before you plate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Rigatoni, penne, and fusilli are all great alternatives. Just look for something short and textured so the sauce has something to cling to.
Thin it with a splash of reserved pasta water, broth, or milk – stir it in a little at a time until it’s back to the right consistency.
Totally. Rotisserie chicken, Italian sausage, or shrimp all work well stirred in at the end.
Cavatappi Pasta with Cream Sauce
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Freshly grated parmesan melts significantly better than pre-shredded – worth the extra minute
If using homemade vegan parmesan, the sauce will be slightly less thick but still delicious
Reserve a splash of pasta water before draining – it’s great for loosening the sauce if needed when tossing
Nutrition
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