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.
“Great recipe. Taste just like the packaged noodles but without all the additives. Served as a side with chicken parmigiana.”
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.
How to Make Creamy Garlic Shells
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
- Creamy Parmesan-Garlic Orzo
- 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’m dying right now for that plate. I am pregnant and on semi-bedrest, and tonight I was in so much pain I had to get drive thru for dinner (which grosses me out like you wouldn’t believe) for the kids and me (hubby is out of town). And now all I can think about is that plate of deliciousness you just planted in my head. I need something wonderful to replace the super gross El Pollo Loco that I ingested for dinner. Blech. I’m more sorry with every minute that passes.
Have you tried the baby kale from Costco to make that dish? I wonder if it’s too tender.
Don’t feel bad – it happens! Especially if you are on semi-bedrest, my goodness. Wishing you the very best! :)
I finally made it tonight! My compromise was a rotisserie chicken and French bread from the grocery store (when I would normally make my own for both), and I made the noodles. Two pounds of noodles (I have 5 young kids we call the locusts because they devour everything in sight). They were yummy. The kids LOVED them. They’ve never had the packets, but now they can enjoy the deliciousness. They call them creamy noodles.
Looks incredibly yummy!! Do you have to massage the kale for this recipe or does the steaming take care of that?
Nope, the sauteing and steaming takes care of it!
LOVE this! I used to love when my mom would make those packet side dishes with dinner when I was in high school! Homemade is so much better :)
I am wondering about subbing something nondairy for the milk…is that possible?? I have had to eliminate dairy for my nursing son, but I would love to do this (and many other similar dishes) . Would almond or soy or rice milk ( or something else) work without compromising the flavor of the dish too much? Thanks so much for your time!
I have used almond milk in creamy sauces before and it worked out just fine. I haven’t tried it with this particular dish, but I imagine it would work! Let us know if you give it a try!
I made this last night right after you posted it on Facebook! I had all of the ingredients on hand, which rarely happens. It was awesome. I used almond milk (unsweetened, of course) and it turned out great. :)
I used coconut milk and it tasted great :)
I use unsweetened coconut milk. The type in the cartons. It works great! I like it better than almond milk when substituting for regular milk.
BTW love this recipe. I just mixed the sauce with rice and it is equally delicious!
I am dairy free my whole life and I am here to tell you coconut milk is way better than any of those. not like crack open a coconut and squirt juice everywhere kind of thing but go to the same spot as you get your almond milk and look for the alternative coconut milk. it also comes in cans, from places like thailand where the food prep standards are really high. sometimes I prefer the canned version for cooking and the tetrapack version just for drinking.
Cream + Garlic… Anything with those in the title catches my attention right away! I used to love those oh-so-good yet oh-so-bad-for-you Lipton packets in college :) I have convinced the hubs to grill steak tomorrow night and I am sure that I’ll be making this to go on the side!
Dude. I ate entire packages of Creamy Chicken Lipton Noodles after noon swimteam practice nearly every day during middle school summers. My husband also made meals of those things during his bachelor days, which means we’ll probably be fighting over this side side when I make it…stat!
My sister and I used to SPLIT a packet of the chicken flavored rice as a MEAL in middle school… Apparently, it’s cheap and easy and that’s all that mattered during summer break!
I was seriously deprived as a kid…I have no idea what packets you’re talking about.
But this looks so delicious! And I have all the things! I’m going to switch around the menu a bit to try this tonight :)
Guilty for eating the pasta side packets. This particular side is a favorite of mine and my husband’s…we eat it nearly every week with baked fish. Cannot wait to eat this and leave the calories and sodium behind!
How about a dupe of the cheddar broccoli next? ;)
Sonya, give this recipe a try and see what you think! :) https://iowagirleats.com/2012/08/16/cheesy-broccoli-orzo/
Cheesy deliciousness! I love that method for cooking kale. I’m going to give it a try with veggie broth. I bet this meal gives your breath a nice kick! :)
Hahaha, it definitely does! ;)
I used to LOVE those packets when I was a kid!! sometimes nothing is better than a comforting bowl of pasta… yours looks WAY better than any packet, my dear!
Yum!! Would I be able to substitute veg broth for the kale and the cream sauce?
Definitely!
What does GF mean?
oh.my.gah. this might be dinner all weekend.