Creamy Garlic Shells are a quick and easy side dish that pairs with just about any dinner! Made from fridge and pantry staples, these shells taste just like store-bought pasta packet sides, but are much healthier, and just as easy.
Confession: I have to physically avert my eyes every time I pass the pasta sides packets in the grocery store.
You know the ones. They come in cozy and mouthwatering flavors like Creamy Chicken (a personal favorite of mine in college), Butter & Herb (yes and yes), and Broccoli Cheddar (everybody’s favorite). Plus they’re like, $.88 a packet. You can’t beat that with a stick!
What I’d like to beat with a stick is the ingredient list and nutritional information that comes along with these unfortunately delicious side dishes.
Luckily it’s a cinch to ditch the packet and make Creamy Garlic Shells at home. This easy, crowd-pleasing pasta side dish pairs with just about any dinner!
Watch How to Make It
Easy Pasta Side Dish
Creamy and ultra-garlicky, this side comes together in about 15 minutes (including pasta cooking time) and the best part is you control the ingredients that go inside.
Saute fresh garlic in a little bit of butter, thicken with flour, then simmer with milk, chicken broth, and seasonings until thick and bubbly.
Stir in cooked pasta and you’ve got a winner of a side dish to pair with dinner! That is to say, this is really good.
Start by cooking small pasta shells (or any small cut pasta) in salted boiling water until al dente, then drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, place a medium / small-sized pan over medium heat then melt butter inside. Add freshly pressed or minced garlic cloves then saute until very light golden brown — be very careful to not burn the garlic!
Sprinkle in flour then whisk while cooking for 30 seconds. I use gluten free flour, but all-purpose flour is fine if you don’t need to eat gluten free.
Slowly pour in chicken broth then milk (whatever you’ve got in the fridge for drinking) while whisking to create a smooth sauce.
Then, season with garlic powder, dried parsley, salt, and pepper. Turn the heat up slightly then cook while stirring with a spatula until the mixture has thickened, 4-5 minutes. Turn the heat down as necessary to maintain a gentle bubble.
Last step for the sauce is to stir in freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Add the cooked shells into the pot then stir to combine. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary.
Let the shells cool and thicken for 5 minutes then scoop and serve next to the protein and vegetable of your choice.
I hope you love every bite of this easy, homemade, yummy pasta side dish recipe – enjoy!
More Easy Side Dish Recipes
- Air Fryer Asparagus
- Green Beans with Bacon
- Angel Hair Pasta with Garlic and Herbs
- Easy Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms
- The BEST Pasta Salad
- Healthy Mashed Potatoes
- Mediterranean Orzo Salad
- Gluten Free Scalloped Potatoes
- Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
- 8 oz mini shell pasta
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 2 Tablespoons gluten free flour, or AP flour if not GF
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 3/4 cup milk, any kind
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- slightly heaping 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Directions
- Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil then add a small palmful of salt. Add the pasta then cook until al dente. Drain then set aside.
- Meanwhile, place a small to medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add the butter then, once melted, add the garlic. Saute while stirring until the garlic is very fragrant and the smallest bits are just barely golden brown — do not overcook / burn the garlic. Sprinkle in the flour then cook while whisking for 30 seconds.
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth and milk while whisking to create a smooth sauce then add the dried parsley flakes, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and then whisk to combine. Turn the heat up slightly then switch to a spatula and cook while stirring constantly until the mixture has thickened, 4-5 minutes, turning the heat down if necessary to maintain a very gentle bubble. Add the parmesan cheese then stir until smooth.
- Turn off the heat then add the pasta to the pot with the sauce and stir to combine. Taste then add salt and pepper if necessary. Let the pasta sit for 5 minutes to thicken slightly then serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
I tried this based on the reviews but unfortunately we all found it to be very bland, little to no flavor. However, I think the base is a good starting point and with some more seasoning and cheese, it would probably be better so I may try it again with some modifications. :)
I’m sorry to hear that, Sue, but glad the recipe is a good jumping off point for you!
omigod this is the best recipe ever i doubled it and added more cheese and it tasted like boston pizzas bugs and cheese
Wohoo!! So glad this was a hit, Ali!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Loved them, tasted just like the noodles straight out of the package😋. Definitely will try again but with less chicken broth. I am a picky eater at the end of the day😂
I’m so glad these tasted like the “real thing”! ;) Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Great recipe. Taste just like the packaged noodles but without all the additives. Served as a side with chicken parmigiana
I’m so glad you loved this recipe, Heidi! Great side for chicken parmigiana – yum!
I subbed dried dill as I had no parsley, but this tasted just like what I remember the stuff from the pouch tasting like… but no fake ingredients… thanks!!!
Thrilled to hear it, Bree!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Delicious! Perfect side for our dinner
So glad to hear it, Heidi! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
I’m going to try this using raw pasta, dumping chicken broth over the shells, adding minced garlic in oil, salt/pepper, a can of condensed chick. soup, stir, bake 450 for about 15 min, remove from oven, stir this mix and then stir in finely grated parmesan cheese and return to oven for a few more minutes to melt the cheese.
I hope you love it, Margo!
To reduce steps, could you put the dry pasta into the sauce to cook or would the starch from the pasta mess up the consistency?
I’ve made this recipe a couple of times and it’s a great addition to making dinners. I haven’t been thrilled with the store bought packages and I wanted to make something more appealing. So I found this recipe and I really like it. It’s also really easy to modify- change the spices or the noodles. This time around I added fresh dill and a splash of dried to add to the flavour and I used small rotini pasta because I didn’t have shells. The kids had at least 2 servings each! I also love how quickly it comes together. Thanks 😊
I’m so glad this is a go-to recipe of yours, Suzyq! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!