Tuck into a bowl of this creamy garlic pasta — a quick, fuss-free one-pot dish that’s perfect for busy evenings. Made with simple, everyday ingredients and ready in under 20 minutes, it’s the kind of comforting meal the whole family will happily dive into.
If you’re anything like me, creamy pasta sauces are always top of the list. There’s just something about that smooth, luxurious texture that feels a little indulgent, yet so easy to pull together. This one is no exception — rich, velvety, but lighter on the calories.
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Calories in Creamy Garlic Pasta
This recipe serves 2 and is 455 calories per serving
If you're looking for more recipes within the same calorie range, you'll find an abundance of options in my dedicated collection of 400+ calorie recipes.
If you're following a calorie-controlled diet or a healthy eating plan, it's important to calculate your daily calorie intake using a reliable calorie calculator. Please note that the calorie counts provided are estimates and can vary based on specific ingredients and serving sizes. Personalizing your calculations is essential to meet your individual needs. By using a calorie calculator, you can make informed choices and stay on track with your dietary goals.
See the recipe card for full nutritional estimation.
Ingredients Notes
To make this recipe you will need the following ingredients:
- Onion - A small, finely chopped onion adds a gentle sweetness and savoury depth to the base of the sauce, softening beautifully as it cooks.
- Garlic - Crushed fresh garlic is the star of this dish, bringing that irresistible, warming flavour that pairs perfectly with a creamy sauce.
- Spaghetti - Long, silky strands of spaghetti are perfect for this dish, wrapping themselves in the creamy garlic sauce with every twirl. It keeps things simple, classic, and utterly satisfying.
- Chicken or Vegetable Stock - This forms the cooking liquid for both the pasta and the sauce, infusing the dish with rich, savoury flavour as it reduces and thickens.
- Laughing Cow Light - A clever, creamy addition that melts into the sauce, creating a lighter, silky texture without the need for heavy cream.
- Parmesan - Adds a salty, savoury kick and a little extra richness to finish the sauce beautifully. Grate it fresh for the best flavour.
- Salt and Black Pepper - Essential for seasoning and bringing out the full flavour of the garlic and stock — adjust to taste as you go.
- Cooking Oil - A touch of oil is used to gently soften the onion and garlic without colouring them too much, keeping the flavours mellow.
- Fresh Chopped Parsley - Sprinkled over at the end, parsley adds a pop of freshness and colour, balancing the creamy, garlicky richness of the dish.
Once you've gathered all the ingredients and prepared them accordingly, you're all set to create this easy and delightful recipe.
See the recipe card for specific quantities and instructions
Variations and Substitutes
This creamy garlic spaghetti is wonderfully adaptable, so feel free to make it your own.
- Cheese Swap
If you don’t have Laughing Cow Light to hand, you can easily swap it for light cream cheese. Around 80g will give you a similar creamy texture and mild flavour, melting beautifully into the sauce. If you’d like to switch out the parmesan, try finely grated Grana Padano or Pecorino Romano for a similar salty, savoury finish. For a milder option, a little mature cheddar or even a touch of crumbled feta could work — though feta will give a slightly tangier edge. To make it vegetarian use a vegetarian Italian style hard cheese instead of Parmesan - Pasta Shapes
While spaghetti is a classic choice, this recipe works just as well with other pasta shapes. Try penne, fusilli, or tagliatelle — anything that can cling to the sauce will be delicious. - Add Some Protein
To turn this into a heartier meal, stir through some cooked, shredded chicken, crispy bacon, or even leftover roast chicken. They pair wonderfully with the creamy garlic flavours and make it a little more filling. - Add Some Greens
For a burst of colour and freshness, add a handful of baby spinach, tenderstem broccoli, or peas towards the end of cooking. They’ll wilt gently into the sauce, adding extra texture and goodness to the dish.
Tips for Perfect One Pot Creamy Garlic Spaghetti
One-pot pasta dishes are a brilliant way to create a quick, comforting meal with minimal washing up — but a few simple tips can turn a good dish into a great one.
- Use the Right Pan
Choose a wide, deep pan or sauté pan with a lid. This gives the spaghetti room to soften evenly and allows the sauce to simmer and thicken without overflowing. A pan that’s too small can cause uneven cooking and clumping, while too shallow a pan might leave you short on space. - Prep Ingredients Before You Start
Have everything chopped, crushed, and ready to go before you turn on the hob. One-pot recipes move quickly, so prepping your onion, garlic, stock, cheeses, and herbs in advance keeps the process smooth and stress-free. - Build the Flavour Base
This recipe has quite a bit of garlic — after all, it’s a creamy garlic pasta! Garlic becomes wonderfully sweet and aromatic when cooked, but it’s important not to rush this part of the recipe. There's nothing worse than raw or burnt garlic. Keep the heat gentle, especially if you're using spray oil, and don't be tempted to crank it up too high. I always fry my onions and garlic gently to infuse the flavours, and then I add a little stock. This trick softens the onions and garlic without drying them out or burning them. - Watch the Liquid and Stir Often
As the spaghetti cooks in the stock, it’s important to keep an eye on the liquid. Stir the pasta often as it softens to stop it sticking together. You need a gentle bubble so the liquid can reduce down around the pasta as it cooks, creating that rich, silky sauce. This is one of the reasons a large, deep frying pan is essential — it gives enough space for the liquid to move around the pasta, reduce evenly, and stop it from stewing. - Adjust Consistency at the End
As the pasta cooks, the sauce will naturally thicken. If it reduces too quickly before the pasta is tender, simply add a splash more stock or water. If it’s a little too loose, let it simmer for another minute or two with the lid off.
With these simple tips, you’ll master this creamy, dreamy garlic pasta — all in one pan, and all in under 20 minutes!
Sides for Creamy Garlic Pasta
This creamy garlic spaghetti is rich and indulgent on its own, so pairing it with lighter, fresher sides helps balance the meal perfectly.
- Fresh Salad
A crisp salad is always a great match. A simple mix of lettuce of choice, cucumber, red onion, tomatoes, carrot and a light vinaigrette can add brightness and crunch to complement the creamy pasta. For something a little heartier, consider adding a handful of roasted vegetables, seeds, nuts etc. - Steamed Vegetables
Steamed green vegetables, such as broccoli, asparagus, or green beans, provide a nice contrast to the creamy pasta without overwhelming the dish. They add a fresh pop of colour and a healthy dose of fibre. - Lightly Sautéed Greens
If you want to jazz up your greens, sautéing spinach or kale with a little olive oil and a squeeze of lemon creates a simple yet flavourful side. The slight bitterness of the greens balances out the richness of the pasta. - Simple Roasted Veggies
Roast up some carrots, zucchini, or butternut squash with a sprinkle of herbs for a naturally sweet and tender side. These bring a lovely depth of flavour without adding any heaviness to the meal.
These sides are light, refreshing, and perfectly complement the creamy, garlicky pasta without taking away from its indulgent richness.
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FAQ for Creamy Garlic Pasta
This dish isn’t really suitable for freezing. Because the sauce is made with soft cheeses like Laughing Cow and parmesan which can become too dry if frozen and reheated. The texture of the pasta also tends to soften too much after freezing, losing that lovely silky finish you get when it’s freshly made.
If you do have leftovers, they can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. When reheating, you may find the sauce thickens as it cools. To bring it back to life, simply add a splash of stock or milk while gently warming it on the hob or in the microwave, stirring until smooth and creamy again.
If your sauce isn’t reducing and thickening as it should while the pasta cooks, it’s usually down to the heat being too low or the pan being too small. A gentle but steady bubble of the liquid is needed to allow the liquid to reduce around the pasta and turn velvety. If needed, you can turn up the heat slightly towards the end to help it reduce, stirring often to stop the pasta sticking.
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Recipe Card
One Pot Creamy Garlic Pasta
Whip up this quick and creamy one-pot garlic spaghetti — a simple, comforting dish that’s ready in under 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 6 cloves of garlic, minced
- 160g (5.6oz) of uncooked spaghetti
- 2.5 cups 600ml) of chicken or vegetable stock
- 4 laughing cow triangles
- 30g (1oz) parmesan
- salt and black pepper
- cooking oil
- fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Lightly spray a deep frying pan with olive oil spray and place over a medium-high heat.
- Add the chopped onion and fry for a couple of minutes until softened and translucent.
- Stir in the crushed garlic and cook gently for a minute, just to release the flavour.
- Pour in a little of the stock to prevent the garlic from burning, and continue to cook for a few minutes until the garlic softens. Add a splash more stock if the pan dries out.
- Add the remaining stock and the Laughing Cow cheese, stirring until the cheese melts into the liquid.
- Add the spaghetti, making sure it’s mostly submerged.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it gently simmer for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and the sauce has thickened and turned creamy.
- If the liquid reduces too quickly and the pasta isn’t fully cooked, add a little extra stock or water as needed.
- Stir in the parmesan, reserving a little to sprinkle on top.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Finish with a scatter of fresh chopped parsley and serve.
Notes
Please see below for full nutritional info and additional details about recipe:
- Calories - scroll down to nutritional info box
- WW Points and other Slimming or Weight Loss programs - due to plans regularly changing and updating, we recommend calculating with the official tools you get as a member to those plans to ensure accuracy of values.
- Vegetarian - use a vegetarian Italian style hard cheese instead of parmesan
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Nutrition Information
Yield 2 Serving Size 1 SERVINGAmount Per Serving Calories 455Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 21mgSodium 602mgCarbohydrates 69gFiber 3gSugar 7gProtein 20g
Kay Smith says
Hi Siobhan, I've just made this for lunch, adding a few chunks of boiled ham, and it was delicious. Even hubby was impressed with it and agreed this is one we will be having again. Can highly recommend this recipe. Thank you x
M mcshane says
Can this be ate cold?
Shevy (Slimming Eats) says
personally I prefer it eaten once cooked. 🙂
Alison Muirhead says
Absolutely lovely! Added some peri peri chicken slices to it and was delicious
Thank you
Gems says
I've made this recipe a few times now and each time I've eaten it I always forget I'm eating a slimming world friendly recipe, it really does taste like it's straight out of an Italian restaurant kitchen!! We've added Chicken a couple of times too & although it's fantastic without, being meat & poultry lovers it's awesome With it!!
Catriona says
Made this and added some broccoli to bulk up my speed foods, it was absolutely amazing, thanks so much for this recipe!
Sam says
Just made this for tea and it was delicious! Really filling and tasty.
Hannah says
Cooked this sauce up but then added cooked salmon and rice. Omg it was amazing! My husband loved it too and commented how it didn't taste even remotely 'diet' like. Will definitely be making again! Yum!
Shevy (Slimming Eats) says
Thanks for the lovely comment Hannah - so glad you enjoyed it.
Clare says
Oh my word! This is amazing. I added spinach and courgettes and some roasted tomatoes, so delicious. I accidentally ate the two servings though so will need to sun the cheese but it’s definitley worth it! Thank you for your wonderful recipe.
Sam says
Just made this and it’s awesome. Told my mum how garlicky it is and she’s going to try it too as she loves garlic. I added a bag of steamed veg to the sauce for my speed food
Pinkfizz says
Just tried this after seeing it posted on Instagram by a slimmer. It is absolutely delicious. We added prawns and cherry tomatoes. Next time I will add chilli flakes.
Grace says
This dish is absolutely gorgeous! Thank you! I was craving something warm and satisfying and this feels like a really naughty dish - not a diet one! I didn't have any laughing cow cheese so I used light cheddar instead and it's still beautiful!
Elinor says
Do you know if you can re-heat this the next day? Sorry I'm not a good cook and am not used to working with soft cheese!
Shevy (Slimming Eats) says
it's best eaten once cooked, but it can be reheated, you just may need to add a little stock to prevent it going too dry.
Helen says
So disappointed this isn't actually a one pot. Has anyone modified it so that it is? Thanks 🙂
Shevy (Slimming Eats) says
It is a one pot, it’s been converted. You are looking at the wrong box
Koz says
Can this be frozen
Shevy (Slimming Eats) says
I personally prefer to eat this once cooked, but all ingredients are fine for freezing.
Janice says
This is gorgeous thank you so much, clean plates all around, I added smoked haddock to it, this is definitely going on my keeper list
Johanne says
Hi Shevy,can this be made with low fat Quark instead of the low fat laughing cow please ? Kind regards Johanne
Shevy (Slimming Eats) says
I personally wouldn't use Quark as it is sour tasting and not creamy, plus it has a tendency to split in hot dishes.
roseleen byrne says
made this dish last night and loved it ,it was sooo creamy .will be making it again thanks for sharing
Jen says
Hi there, this looks tasty and I'm going to try it this week, however I'm confused how you are using parmesan and laughing cow and its syn free? I get one HEA can be the laughing cow but it doesn't look like the parmesan has been account for?
Shevy (Slimming Eats) says
the recipe serves 2 people, contains 2 healthy extra (laughing cow and the parmesan), so is 1 healthy extra per serving
Usha balu says
Omg this was so tasty are you sure I can’t eat this tasted so creamy ❤️
Marie Sweetlove says
Just made this and the whole family loved it!
Teresa Sandra Feldman says
Absolutely loved this recipe. I served it with some previously cooked salmon broken up over the top and added button mushrooms and leeks for speed veg. I give it five stars and will definitely be making this as a regular family favourite.
Emma says
Just made this tonight for dinner, loved it I added some chicken to it although I think it would be equally as nice without, no way you could tell that was a syn free dish, a new favourite in my house
Jennifer says
I made this for dinner tonight with chicken and broccoli and it was absolutely gorgeous. My partner is such a fussy eater and his only complaint was that I didn't make more. Will definitely make this again. Thank you so much for sharing
Colin says
Quick and easy to make
I used dairylea as its what I had in the fridge and added a some real cheese (I like Cheese) and added some cooked chicken and ham just before the pasta was ready and it was absolutely delicious
Katie says
Delicious!
So creamy and cheesy! I added smoked bacon medallions into mine to cook with the onion and garlic! Felt so naughty when I wasn’t actually at all. Will be deffo trying this again.
Olivia says
Another fantastic recipe. I added mushrooms and used philidelphia lightest and gluten free spaghetti- it was delicious.
Have now sent the recipe to my neighbour and mum to try as It was so so so yummy.
Jade says
My mum is allergic to cheese could this be made with natural yougart instead
Siobhan (Slimming Eats) says
I wouldn't use yoghurt for this, it will split in the sauce and be sour tasting. The best option is a dairy free cream cheese.
Milly says
Could I use light Philadelphia? If so, how much? It’s all I have in the fridge right now. Thanks
Marion Pearce says
Hello Siobhan,
First time of making this and very tasty, I did add leeks & spinach & will certainly be making again.
Marion
A follower from Wiltshire UK
Amanda says
Used leeks instead of onion but apart from that followed recipe. Absolutely delicious. Defo doing this again.
Claire Meredith says
Oh my days! This is delicious, I've made it a few times now, real family pleaser, can't believe its syn free! I've doubled and tripled it and it works perfectly, I've also added bacon and mushrooms, it's so versatile, I've also made it with just dairy lea. Thanks for sharing this easy and quick, fab!!!!
Jo Blair says
No way is this slimming world friendly, this tastes like I have just had Gino de Campo in my kitchen. I have just cooked this and it was delicious. I have a fussy husband and he ate his dinner faster than I have ever seen. Will definitely be making this again. I have just ordered your recipe book from Amazon and can't wait to see what other delicious recipies I am gonna make. Thank you!
Nikki says
Hello, I’ve made this often & it’s amazing but would it work if I substituted the cheese triangles for a Philadelphia style soft cheese? (lactose intolerance)
Siobhan (Slimming Eats) says
yep it should be fine, enjoy!!