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spaghetti in a smooth pale Alfredo sauce in a plain wide cooking skillet, with no meat, vegetables or garnish
Melissa Hart

One-Pot Alfredo Pasta

The pasta releases its starch directly into the milk mixture, so you need a wide pan and regular stirring to keep the bottom from catching. Keep the simmer gentle. The noodles should soften as the liquid reduces into sauce, with a small water reserve available if the pan dries before they are ready. Add Parmesan after turning off the heat and serve promptly. This method saves a separate boiling pot, but it still asks you to stay nearby for the short cook instead of leaving the dairy unattended.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 garlic clove finely minced
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 1/2 cups water for cooking
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 8 oz dry spaghetti
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 2/3 cup freshly finely grated Parmesan
  • 1/2 cup additional water reserved if needed

Method
 

  1. Melt butter in a deep 12-inch skillet over low heat and stir garlic for 30 seconds. Add milk, cooking water, cream, salt and pepper and bring to a gentle simmer.
  2. Lay spaghetti in the pan and press it into the liquid as it softens. Cover partly and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 to 13 minutes, stirring and separating the strands every 2 minutes.
  3. Add reserved water in 2-tablespoon amounts only if the pan becomes dry before the pasta is tender. Uncover for the final 1 to 2 minutes if excess liquid remains.
  4. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan gradually until the cooking liquid becomes a smooth sauce around the noodles.
  5. Rest for 1 minute, stir once more and serve while the coating is still loose.