How long does it take to make Pasta in Cream Sauce?

Bring to a gentle boil, lower the heat and cook 2–3 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.

Step by Step

How to Tell It's Done

• until al dente
• until the sauce thickens slightly
• until the sauce clings to the pasta

Tips

• The cooking water is starchy: a spoonful or two binds the sauce to the pasta or the gnocchi and makes it glossy.

Common Mistakes

• The water should taste like a seasoned soup, not like sea water: a heaping teaspoon of salt per liter. Add the salt once the water is boiling.
• Reduce cream at a gentle bubble, not a hard boil: a few minutes is enough for it to thicken, and loosen a sauce that got too thick with a spoonful of pasta water.
• A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.

More Ways

• A carton of cooking cream (250 ml, 15% or 38%) for a 500 g package of pasta, and grated Parmesan for serving.
• Save half a cup of the cooking water, add 3–4 tablespoons when combining the pasta with the sauce, and toss for about a minute over low heat.

The full recipe: Pasta in Cream Sauce →

Recipes with Pasta in Cream Sauce

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