Weeknight Creamy Egg Noodles-CC
Side Dish • Cheese, Dairy, Noodle, Vegetable
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Ingredients
- 8 oz egg noodles
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (half-and-half works too)
- 1/4 cup milk or reserved pasta water
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (or shredded mozzarella for extra meltiness)
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
- Optional add-ins (choose 1–2):
- Frozen peas or spinach
- Rotisserie chicken or leftover ham
- Sautéed mushrooms
- A pinch of red pepper flakes
- Fresh herbs (parsley, chives)
Directions
- Boil the noodles
- Cook egg noodles in well-salted water according to package directions.
- Before draining, scoop out about ½ cup pasta water and set aside.
- Start the sauce
- In the same pot (or a large skillet), melt butter over medium heat.
- Add garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant (don’t brown).
- Make it creamy
- Pour in cream and milk (or pasta water).
- Let it gently simmer for 2–3 minutes, stirring.
- Cheese time
- Lower heat and stir in Parmesan until smooth.
- Season with salt and plenty of black pepper.
- Combine
- Add noodles back in. Toss until coated.
- If it’s too thick, splash in more pasta water.
- Add extras (optional)
- Stir in any add-ins and warm through for 1–2 minutes.
Notes
- Quick Variations (Same Effort)
- Garlic Butter Noodles: Skip cream, add more butter + Parmesan + pasta water.
- Creamy Lemon: Add 1–2 tsp lemon zest and a squeeze of juice at the end.
- Stroganoff‑ish: Add mushrooms + a spoon of sour cream instead of some cream.
- Protein Boost: Stir in shredded chicken or a soft‑fried egg on top.
