Creamy Garlic Pasta

Vegetarian option for garlic lovers.

Lately, I’ve been trying to eat less meat and switch things up in the kitchen. I’m so used to cooking with meat that I wanted to challenge myself with a vegetarian dish that still feels rich and satisfying. This pasta recipe is super simple and can be done in about 15 minutes if you’re using store-bought pasta. But if you have a bit more time, making your own pasta from scratch is totally worth it. It’s healthier, tastier, and surprisingly easy for a single portion.

Pasta (1 portion):

• 100g flour

• 1 egg

  
  

Sauce:

• 5 cloves of garlic

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon butter

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 100ml cream (I used 7%)

• Cheese of your choice

• 1 ladle of pasta water

  
  

Seasonings:

• Sweet paprika

• Salt

• Pepper

• Chili flakes

  
  

• Step 1.

Fresh Pasta (one portion):

• 100g of flour

• 1 egg

  
  

Start by pouring the flour onto a clean surface and making a small well in the middle. Crack the egg into the well. Use a fork to gently whisk the yolk and whites together, and slowly start brushing in the flour from the sides. Take your time with this part so the egg doesn’t spill out. It helps keep the mess to a minimum.

Once it starts coming together into a dough, use your hands to knead it for about 10 minutes until it's smooth and elastic. Wrap it up or cover it, and let it rest for around 30 minutes before rolling it out. You can shape it however you like: tagliatelle, fettuccine, or even just rough strips.

If you're in a rush, store-bought pasta works perfectly fine too.

Step 2.

Once you’ve cut your pasta, let it dry on a clean surface or a floured tray for about 10–15 minutes. This helps it firm up a bit and cook better without sticking together. If you’re making it ahead of time, you can let it dry even longer. Just make sure to keep it lightly floured so it doesn’t clump.

Finally cook it for about 3 minutes.

Step 3.

Start by finely chopping your garlic (I used 5 cloves because I love that strong flavor, but you can adjust to your taste).

Heat up a pan with a tablespoon of olive oil, then add a teaspoon of butter for extra flavor. Once the butter is melted and the pan is hot, toss in the garlic. Fry it for about 30 seconds, just enough to release the aroma, but don’t let it burn (medium heat should be perfect).

Step 4.

Next, add two tablespoons of tomato paste. Stir it into the garlic and oil mixture and let it cook for another 30 seconds. This helps the tomato paste lose that raw taste and blend nicely into the sauce.

Now it’s time to season the sauce. Add your favorite spices. I went with a pinch of salt, ½ teaspoon of paprika powder, ½ teaspoon of chili flakes, a pinch of dried parsley and just a little bit of sweet paprika for some extra depth.

Mix everything together well so the spices toast slightly and blend into the tomato paste. This step really builds the flavor.

After your spices are mixed in and smelling great, pour in about 100ml of cream (I used 7%, but you can go richer if you want). Stir it all together until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.

Then, add a ladle of pasta water, this helps loosen the sauce and makes it cling better to the pasta. The starch in the water brings everything together nicely. Let it simmer for a minute or two on low heat.

Step 5.

Once the sauce is ready, add your cooked pasta straight into the pan. Mix everything well so the pasta is fully coated. If you like it spicier, go ahead and toss in a bit more chili flakes, I did. I also added some dried parsley and a generous handful of Swiss cheese, which melted beautifully into the sauce.

When serving, I topped it with more cheese, a bit of extra chili flakes, and a sprinkle of parsley for that final touch. Simple, creamy, spicy, and full of flavor — all without any meat.