Homemade Pasta Roni (Copycat Parmesan)
Description
Homemade Pasta Roni is a creamy, garlicky copycat of the boxed Parmesan noodles, made in one pot with real butter, cream, and Parmesan. Ready in 15 minutes on the stovetop, with Instant Pot directions in the notes.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 8 ounces thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta, broken in half
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Cook the garlic. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Boil the broth. Add the broth and salt and bring to a boil.
- Cook the pasta. Add the pasta and stir to separate the strands. Reduce to a steady simmer and cook uncovered, stirring often, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes for thin spaghetti or 4 to 5 minutes for angel hair.
- Finish off the heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan until melted and glossy.
- Season and serve. Add black pepper and more salt to taste. Top with extra Parmesan and parsley and serve immediately.
Equipment
- Large, deep skillet or wide saucepan
- Wooden spoon or tongs
- Microplane or fine grater (for the parmesan)
Notes
- Instant Pot method: Use 2 cups broth. Layer the broken pasta in a criss-cross pattern, add the broth, butter, oil, garlic, and salt, and submerge the pasta. Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes for thin spaghetti or 1 minute for angel hair, then quick release. Stir in the cream and Parmesan after cooking.
- Too dry or too soupy: Add a splash of broth if the pan dries out before the pasta is tender. Simmer a minute longer if there is too much liquid.
- Lighter version: Use half-and-half in place of heavy cream and reduce the Parmesan to 1/3 cup.
- Make it a meal: Stir in 1 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, cooked shrimp, or steamed broccoli with the cheese.
- Storage: Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove with a splash of milk or broth. Do not freeze.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 403kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 15gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 423mgPotassium: 307mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 821IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 189mgIron: 2mg