Looking for a quick and kid-friendly dinner? Cream Cheese Pasta is creamy, cheesy, and easy to make with just a few simple ingredients! This rich and comforting dish is perfect for busy weeknights and sure to be a hit with the whole family.

Creamy rotini pasta in a pot being stirred with a wooden spoon, garnished with finely chopped parsley for a touch of color and freshness.

Your daily question about what to cook for supper has been answered with this family favorite cream cheese pasta recipe. Cream cheese pasta has a rich taste and creamy texture that will have everyone asking for seconds.

Cream cheese and pasta are simply the best combination. There is always a lot of room for creativity with this kid-friendly dish, too. I love to add peas and bacon when I have them on hand.

Choose your favorite type of pasta noodle for this dish and you are all set. We love to use a coiled pasta like fusilli so that the creamy cheese sauce goes into the nooks and crannies. This makes every bite truly burst with flavor.

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Why you’ll love Cream Cheese Pasta

This kid-friendly creamy pasta recipe only takes 17 minutes from start to finish.
Cream cheese pasta doesn’t have any complicated steps, making this a great dish for the kids to help cook with little supervision.
If you have leftover protein and veggies from another meal, whip this dish up and you’ve got your supper all set.

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Pasta

Pasta – I recommend a noodle with ridges to hold onto the sauce. Favorites in our house are fusilli or classic spaghetti.
Cream cheese – Softened to room temperature so it is easier to work with. I use full-fat cream cheese and prefer the brand Philadelphia cream cheese.
Shredded parmesan cheese – Parmesan cheese adds great flavor to the cream cheese pasta sauce.
Butter – Unsalted or salted, will help really make the sauce nice and silky.
Seasonings – Garlic powder, onion powder, salt and ground black pepper.
Milk – Whichever type of dairy milk you have at home will work. The higher the fat content, the creamier the sauce.

What Can I Add to Cream Cheese Pasta?

This is a really versatile dish so you can personalize it every time you cook it. Adding protein like chicken, ham, bacon, Italian sausage, shrimp, salmon or even steak will make this even more filling. Bonus if you have leftovers in your fridge that the kids love so there is less cooking to do.

Roasted vegetables, peas, sautéed spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs – anything you’ve got on hand to add some color. If you grow a garden at home, I bet you have some amazing fresh veggies to add! Make sure you ask the kiddos to help with picking the meal’s veggies, they’ll be more excited to eat them.

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How to Make Cream Cheese Pasta

Boil salted water and cook pasta to al dente, according to the package instructions.
Meanwhile, cut the cream cheese into small cubes.
When pasta is cooked, drain it and return it to the pot. Add cream cheese, Parmesan cheese and butter. Cover and allow pasta to cook on low heat for 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted.
Uncover the pot and add in the seasonings.
Add about ¼ cup of the milk to the pot, and start tossing it, gradually adding more milk until the cheese has thickened into a creamy sauce.
Serve immediately.

A pot filled with uncooked rotini pasta, surrounded by small bowls of ingredients including butter, cream cheese, shredded cheese, and seasoning.

Pro Tips

Add a touch of green garnish with fresh basil, thyme, oregano or fresh chopped parsley to make it feel like you’re at a fancy restaurant.
Reserve a little bit of starchy pasta water and add a little to the pot if you find the cheese sauce to thicken too much.
This dish is best when served right away so the cheese sauce doesn’t dry out.

Storage & Reheating

Fridge: Store leftover cream cheese pasta in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freezer: I do not recommend freezing this dish. Pasta can become quite mushy when you reheat it and the cream cheese sauce will separate and have a different consistency.

Reheat leftover creamy pasta covered on the stove top or in the microwave. If reheating on the stove top, heat slowly over a lower heat and add a little bit of milk or water to keep the pasta from drying out. Stir frequently. Add moisture when reheating in the microwave as well but heat in intervals, stirring in between.

Extreme close-up of rotini pasta coated in a creamy, seasoned cheese sauce, highlighting the texture and richness of the dish.

This creamy, cheesy pasta dish is so simple, it’s perfect for the kids to help with. Soon enough they will be cooking this all on their own!

Cream Cheese Pasta Recipe

Creamy, cheesy, and easy to make, Cream Cheese Pasta is a kid-friendly meal perfect for busy weeknights. Made with simple ingredients, it’s a delicious family favorite.

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Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 20

Servings:

Ingredients

16 ounces uncooked pasta your choice
8 ounces cream cheese softened
½ cup shredded parmesan
1 Tablespoon butter softened
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup milk

Instructions

Boil a pot of salted water for the pasta and cook it al dente according to package directions.
Meanwhile, cut the cream cheese into smaller pieces.
Drain the pasta once it is cooked. Return the drained pasta to the pot it was cooked in, and add the cream cheese, parmesan cheese and butter. Cover the pot and let it cook on low heat for about 1-2 minutes until the cheese is melted.
Uncover the pot and add in the garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
Add about ¼ cup of the milk to the pot, and start tossing it, gradually adding more of the milk until the cheese has melted into a creamy sauce. You may not use up the entire cup of milk.
Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment below or pin it to your Pinterest account!

How to Serve Cream Cheese Pasta

This creamy pasta is perfect to go along with your favorite protein and vegetable. Tender and juicy Baked Chicken Breast is always a great idea because you can bake extra and you’ve got chicken to use for lunches for the week. The kids love when I toss Roasted Broccoli in with this pasta dish or serve it on the side. A simple green salad would be an easy addition too.

A great addition to pasta night is also a nice toasty garlic bread. And don’t forget to offer extra parmesan cheese to sprinkle on before eating!

More Kid-Friendly Pasta Dishes

So this isn’t a pasta to eat but it’s definitely kid-friendly! Keep the kids busy while you cook and give them their own pasta to make Pasta Necklaces!
Gooey cheese and tomato sauce make Taco Spaghetti so comforting. Taco seasoned ground beef really kicks the flavor up a notch.
Okay, hear me out. The ultimate pasta dish for a house with a picky eater is simple Buttered Noodles! It is so easy to make and really delicious.
A one pot meal that’s ready in 30 minutes? Creamy Chicken and Noodles is just what you need on a busy weeknight.