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cream cheese pasta on a plate with sweet potato and pine nuts
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5 from 4 votes

Cream Cheese Pasta

Creamy, comforting and delicious, this ridiculously easy cream cheese pasta comes together in 20 minutes, making it the perfect weeknight dinner!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Australian
Servings: 5
Calories: 694kcal
Author: Andrea Geddes

Ingredients

  • 350 grams pasta Fettucine, spaghetti or your preferred pasta
  • 3-4 cups sweet potato diced/cubed (approx. 1 large sweet potato)
  • ⅓ cup pine nuts
  • 150 grams halloumi thickly sliced

For the cream cheese pasta sauce

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3-4 cloves garlic crushed
  • 250 grams cream cheese softened at room temperature
  • ½ cup pecorino cheese fresh, finely grated
  • 1 cup reserved pasta water reserve water from pasta before draining, plus a little extra to set aside, just in case
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • baby spinach leaves
Metric - US Customary

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven or air fryer to 200C°. Place the diced sweet potato cubes onto a lined baking tray (or air fryer basket) and spray with a little oil spray. Roast the sweet potato for around 15 minutes (oven)/10 minutes (air fryer), or until golden and cooked through, turning halfway.
  • While the sweet potato is cooking, place the pasta into a large pot of boiling, salted water (2 litres of water and one teaspoon salt) and cook according to the packet instructions, until al dente.
  • While the pasta is cooking, add the pine nuts to a dry pan and toast over medium heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned. Remove the pine nuts from the heat and set aside.
  • Add the halloumi to the same pan and fry both sides, until golden brown. Set aside with the pine nuts.
  • Next, prepare the pasta sauce. Cook the oil and garlic together on low heat until soft and fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
  • Carefully remove 1 cup of water from the boiling pasta and set aside. Add the cream cheese to the pan with the garlic and pour the pasta water over the top. Stir until smooth and combined.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and add the pecorino cheese to the sauce. Stir until smooth and combined.
  • Add the spinach and stir until wilted. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Add the drained pasta, roasted sweet potato, pine nuts and halloumi to the pan and stir. Test the consistency and add a little more reserved pasta water, if needed. Serve immediately with extra pecorino and cracked pepper. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. I recommend using regular, full-fat cream cheese for the best flavour. You can use low-fat cream cheese if preferred, but the taste will be less rich and the consistency a little thinner. I use Philadelphia cream cheese, but any full-fat, good quality brand will work.
  2. It is important to reserve some pasta water before draining the pasta. Pasta water is stirred into the olive oil and cream cheese, creating an emulsion which gives you a super smooth, luscious sauce. Using pasta water instead of regular water will give your pasta the best flavour and consistency and help it stick to the pasta strands.
  3. Don’t forget to reserve some pasta water before draining the pasta. Regular water just won’t give you the same result. Add one cup to make the sauce and keep a little more aside in case you want the sauce a little thinner.
  4. Season at the end – to prevent over-salting. The pasta water, halloumi and pecorino contain salt, so taste the sauce at the end and then adjust the seasoning to taste.
  5. Feel free to customise and add your vegetables or protein of choice. Any steamed or roasted vegetables like asparagus, peas, zucchini, spinach or broccolini work great.
  6. Leftovers – while it is best eaten at the time it is made, this pasta keeps for a couple of days in the fridge. Add a little splash of water to loosen up the sauce and reheat it on the stove or in the microwave.
  7. Wait until just before draining the pasta to scoop out the pasta water. This will ensure the water is very starchy, giving you a rich, creamy sauce.
  8. Please note that the nutrition information is based on the pasta being served into 5 bowls, with one bowl being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings or sides served with the pasta.
  9. This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.

Nutrition

Calories: 694kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 771mg | Potassium: 647mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 12204IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 531mg | Iron: 2mg