Need an easy, flavorful pasta dish? This recipe for Creamy Cavatappi Pasta combines tender, twisty pasta with a rich parmesan sauce to deliver a delicious meal with minimal effort. Enjoy as a meatless main or a hearty side!
Cavatappi pasta is not only the best shaped pasta for this recipe, but it makes a great choice to use in pasta salads and casseroles–like Caprese Pasta Salad, and Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole.
My Obsession with Cavatappi Pasta
While I love pasta in all shapes, sizes, and forms, my family will now and forever refer to cavatappi as Mom’s pasta. All due to an instacart order that went wrong.
Years ago, while vacationing in Hawaii, I ordered a 16-ounce bag of cavatappi for our favorite BLT pasta salad–but ended up with 16 bags instead! Being the frugal person I am, I packed the remaining 15 bags in my suitcase and brought them home with me–across the pacific!
In the process of using them up, I created this creamy cavatappi recipe. Infused with parmesan and garlic, the rich creamy sauce clings to the curved pasta, creating a simple, yet knockout dish. After one bite, you will be grateful for my grocery mishap–just like my family is!😉
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Notes on Ingredients
You will find the full list of ingredients, along with quantities in the recipe card. Below is a quick glance at what you need and tips to help you make the right selection.
- Pasta: While this recipe calls for cavatappi, you can use any type of pasta with curved edges, such as fusilli, corkscrew, or gemelli.
- Heavy Cream: For a rich, indulgent sauce. Feel free to use half and half or whole milk, noting that dish won’t be quite as decadent or luxurious.
- Garlic: Jarred or freshly minced, you want to add a lot of garlic, for a lot of flavor.
- Butter + Oil: Unsalted butter for richness and extra virgin olive oil to help prevent the butter from burning.
- Seasonings: Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper add just the right flavor to this simple cavatappi recipe. Feel free to add a pinch or crushed red pepper flakes to add subtle heat to the pasta.
- Parmesan: Freshly grated, not jarred parmesan is best. Not just for flavor, but for a smooth creamy sauce.
How to Make Creamy Cavatappi Pasta
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Cook Pasta in Heavily Salted Water. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add a generous amount of salt along with the pasta to the boiling water, as salting the water enhances the pasta’s flavor. Cook the cavatappi, stirring often, until ALMOST al dente. Don’t overcook the pasta, as the pasta will continue cooking slightly in the sauce.
- Prepare Sauce. After dropping the pasta into the boiling water, begin to prepare the cream sauce so that everything comes together at once, getting dinner on the table fast. To make the creamy sauce, melt the butter and olive oil together over medium heat. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning and toast lightly just to enhance their flavor, then slowly whisk in the cream and parmesan, while whisking to ensure a smooth, emulsified sauce.
- Drain Pasta. At this point the cavatappi pasta should be done cooking. Before draining it over a colander, remove about 1 cup of the cooking liquid, reserving to add to the sauce. The reserved water helps the sauce cling to the pasta, thanks to the starches released during cooking.
- Add Pasta and Simmer. Add the cooked pasta and a small amount of the cooking liquid to the sauce, stirring to coat. Let simmer over medium heat for a couple of minutes, or until the sauce thickens and the pasta is al dente, adding additional cooking liquid as needed.
- Remove from the Heat. Let the pasta sit for a minute before serving, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly. Give the dish a taste, adding more salt or pepper if desired and top with fresh parsley or basil ribbons if desired.
Recipe Modifications
- Add Fresh Herbs. Add a fresh finish by topping the pasta with fresh basil ribbons, minced parsley, or even fresh oregano leaves.
- Add Additional Flavor. Add a swirl of homemade pesto or 1-2 tablespoons of oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes to the cream sauce along with the cooked cavatappi pasta.
- Add Veggies. Wilt spinach into the sauce during the last few minutes of simmering or toss with leftover roasted vegetables from the week. I LOVE adding parmesan roasted broccoli to this pasta.
- Add Meat. Top the creamy cavatappi with cooked and crumbled Italian sausage, sliced cooked chicken sausage, or sauteed shrimp if desired.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
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Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt and 8 ounces cavatappi pasta, stir and cook for 1 minute less than the package directs. This is usually about 9-11 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
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Add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil to a large skillet. Turn the heat to medium and allow the butter to melt. Once melted, add 3 cloves garlic (minced) and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and toast for 30 seconds.
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Slowly add ¾ cup heavy cream to the skillet, whisking into the butter and seasonings. Bring to a low simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring often, until the sauce is slightly thickened. ~2-4 minutes
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Add ½ cup grated parmesan cheese ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ to 1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper, into the cream sauce, stirring to incorporate. Add the cooked pasta and ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water to the skillet, tossing to coat. Turn the heat to medium and stir constantly, until the sauce is creamy and coats the pasta. If needed, add additional reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, iif the sauce seems too thick.
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Remove from the heat and let sit for 1-2 minutes before serving. Serve with additional parmesan cheese and minced fresh parsley.
Cavatappi Pasta: Feel free to use any pasta with a twisty shape and/or curved edges.
Storage: Let cool slightly, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat individual servings in a heat-safe bowl covered with a damp paper towel, in the microwave, adding with a splash of broth, cream, or water if needed to thin.
Nutritional values are based on 4 large servings. Keep in mind this dish serves 8 as a side.
Calories: 479kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 13gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 533mgPotassium: 209mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 873IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 167mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
