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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?
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
- 1 pound cavatappi
- 4 tablespoons butter, dairy free as desired
- 4 cloves finely minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup broth, I use veggie broth but whatever you have will work
- 1 cup milk of choice, plain milk or dairy free works
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, violife makes a great parmesan cheese that melts nicely but I also have a vegan parmesan recipe HERE*
- Salt + pepper to taste
- Optional for serving: 2 heaping cups of steamed broccoli florets
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions.1 pound cavatappi
- In a large skillet or saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add in garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.4 tablespoons butter, 4 cloves finely minced garlic
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Mix in the broth, milk, italian seasoning, cheese, salt and pepper. Mix until fully combined and bring to a simmer.3 tablespoons flour, 1 cup broth, 1 cup milk of choice, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, Salt + pepper to taste
- Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until the cheese is fully melted and combined into the sauce.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the sauce and stir to coat fully. Serve immediately and ENJOY!1 pound cavatappi
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love the way this recipe is written, with the ingredient and measurement included in the step.. It avoids me having to scroll back to the top for the measurements.
I love the way this recipe is written, with the ingredient and measurement included in the step.. It avoids me having to scroll back to the top for the measurements.
Love your recipes,sound so easy to make!