Creamy Milk Pasta One-Pot (Printer-Friendly)

A cozy, comforting pasta cooked directly in milk, creating a luxuriously creamy sauce with minimal effort and maximum flavor.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)

→ Dairy

02 - 4 cups whole milk
03 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter
04 - 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Aromatics & Seasoning

05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
07 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - Pinch of nutmeg (optional)

→ Garnish

09 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
10 - Extra Parmesan, for serving

# Steps:

01 - In a large, deep skillet or wide saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
02 - Pour in the milk and bring just to a gentle simmer (do not boil).
03 - Add the pasta, salt, pepper, and nutmeg (if using). Stir well to prevent sticking.
04 - Cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, for 12–15 minutes or until the pasta is al dente and most of the milk has thickened into a creamy sauce. If the sauce thickens too quickly, add a splash more milk as needed.
05 - Stir in the grated Parmesan until melted and the sauce is silky. Adjust seasoning to taste.
06 - Remove from heat. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The sauce essentially makes itself while the pasta cooks, meaning less stirring and more relaxing
  • You probably have everything in your kitchen right now, no special grocery run needed
02 -
  • The sauce keeps thickening off heat, so leave it slightly looser than you think you want
  • Stir more frequently than seems necessary, especially toward the end when milk reduces
03 -
  • Use the widest pan you own so the milk reduces evenly and pasta cooks consistently
  • Grate your own Parmesan instead of buying pre-grated for a smoother melt
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