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This quick and easy Parmesan Garlic Noodles recipe comes together in just 20 minutes! Made with spaghetti, fresh garlic, and Parmesan cheese, it’s a simple yet flavorful dish that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Serve it as a main meal or a delicious side.
Garlic Parmesan Noodles
As someone who specializes in Asian recipes, you’d think my 4-year-old son’s favorite food would be rice or noodles, right? Nope—the reality is the complete opposite.
The picky eater just doesn’t care for rice, has zero interest in Asian stir-fries, and isn’t into Asian noodles either. As a mom, I can only hope that one day his taste buds wake up to the amazing flavors of Asian food and that he’ll finally eat like I do.
For now, if you ask him what his favorite foods are, he’ll tell you: pizza, mac and cheese, and pasta. He’s all-American! Because of that, we end up eating pasta and pizza at least 2-3 times a week.
It’s a little sad because I miss my spicy Malaysian food and all the delicious Asian dishes I love. But I refuse to cook two separate dinners, so we’ve all just adapted to little G’s palate.
One dish he asks for every single week is Garlic Parmesan Noodles. I actually don’t mind making it because it’s so easy—less than 20 minutes, just a few everyday ingredients, and I can switch up the protein to go with it.
For little G, he always wants Korean kalbi (his favorite Asian food), which we can easily grab from the many Korean restaurants and supermarkets here in Irvine. For me, I love pairing it with Ginger Garlic Baked Chicken or Miso Salmon, so no complaints here!
Anyway, this is my go-to Parmesan Garlic Noodles recipe—super quick, easy, and perfect with all sorts of side dishes and proteins. This time, I served it with Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp and Parmesan Bacon Pumpkin Mashed Potatoes, and it was such a great meal. If you love garlic noodles, be sure to check out my Asian Garlic Noodles recipe too!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fast and effortless. Ready in just 20 minutes, this is my go-to when I need something quick but still seriously satisfying. No complicated steps, just simple and delicious.
- Minimal ingredients, maximum flavor. All you need are pantry staples: butter, garlic, Parmesan, and pasta. No fancy ingredients, just pure comfort.
- Garlicky, buttery, cheesy perfection .The combination of garlic, butter, and Parmesan coats every strand of pasta, making it rich, savory, and so addictive.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Spaghetti – I usually go with spaghetti, but linguine, fettuccine, or even angel hair work just as well.
- Butter – I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt. If you’re out, just use extra olive oil.
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Salt
- Grated cheddar cheese – If you don’t have cheddar, Monterey Jack or Gouda are great swaps.
- Parsley – Chopped basil, chives, or a sprinkle of dried Italian seasoning will work if you’re out of parsley.
Please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full details on each ingredient.
How To Make Parmesan Garlic Noodles
Cook the noodles according to the package instructions until they’re perfectly al dente. Once they’re done, drain them and set them aside.
Heat up a skillet and melt the butter with the olive oil. Toss in the garlic and sauté until it’s golden and smells amazing. Add the noodles, give everything a good stir to coat them in that garlicky goodness, and season with a little salt to taste.
Turn off the heat and mix in the Parmesan until it melts and coats the noodles. Sprinkle on some Cheddar and a bit of parsley for a pop of color. Serve right away and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course! Just toss in a pinch of red pepper flakes while you’re sautéing the garlic, or finish it off with a drizzle of chili oil for a little extra kick.
Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Warm it up in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water or a little extra butter to get that creamy texture back. The microwave works too—just cover the noodles and heat in 30-second bursts, giving them a stir in between.
This recipe is only 553 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Parmesan Garlic Noodles
For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Other Recipes You Might Like
Parmesan Garlic Noodles
Ingredients
- 8 oz (230g) spaghetti , or linguine
- 1/2 stick butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon grated cheddar cheese, for garnishing
- chopped parsley, for garnishing
Instructions
- Prepare the noodles according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Heat up a skillet and add the butter and olive oil. Saute the garlic until slightly brown and aromatic. Toss in the noodles, stir to combine well. Add salt to taste.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Garnish with Cheddar cheese and parsley. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
if I add cooked shrimp to this dish, what ingredients do you recommend I increase. Also when should add the shrimp
You don’t have add anything extra. You can add the shrimp after garlic. :)
It looks delicious, does it have to be olive oil or can it be any of them?
Yes any oil is fine.
Great recepies, i just love them.
I made this last night and it was fabulous!! I will absolutely make this again!!
Hi Erin, thanks for trying my Parmesan garlic noodles recipe. I am so glad that you liked it. :)
Where can I find your actual directions? and super funny about your description of your sons eating habits. Only difference for me was that I chose to be ‘that’ short order cook and I was cooking more like 3 dishes for my boys and husband! exhausting. Still at my son’s age of nearly 20 I still have to ‘deal’ with his eating agenda. (He has Asperger’s; it’s easier to just do it.) I admit, I am an enabler when it comes to this feeding/cooking thing. :-)
Ilyse, the recipe link is red in color and says CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE.
I have tried this dish when i wanted a quick and delicious dinner
Thanks Don for trying out my parmesan garlic noodles.
Looks really good ! I’ll be making this as a side dish tonight instead of the pasta salad I made ..I’ll save that for lunches tomorrow. .
Any ideas to make this without all the butter?
You can use olive oil! :)
I fixed this last however I added sliced black olives to mine. It was very good!
Hello Bee,
Do you use the Parmesan from a can or freshley grated Parmesan cheese? Thanks.
Freshly grated.
Seriously making this dish soon. Looks wonderful.