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.
You’ve done the impossible: these noodles paired with leftover chicken parm meatballs and both my toddler and preschooler ate their entire dinner! It was the first dinner in a long time that everyone agreed on and gobbled up! Thanks for making my dinner so-o much easier last night. They even got rewarded with some homemade chocolate pudding…
Made this last night. Great recipe! I doubled the sauce because I added chopped chicked and I used 2 cups(uncooked) penne since I didn’t have the shells. We love garlic so I used 6 cloves minced. My husband and I both loved it.
Seeing as I’m amongst like-minded people I feel I can admit that I also suffer an addiction to packet pasta.
I reckon this would hit the spot. Might make some tonight. Mmmmm!
OMG this was sooo good made with rigatoni since that is the pasta I had on hand!
thanks for posting
The hydrolyzed soy protein that you saw on the ingredient list is a fancy way of saying there is MSG in it to make it taste better. Glad to see you have a better homemade alternative!!! Looks yummy!!
That pasta definitely looks the “ish” haha :) I love your writing, it’s very relatable, and the dish frankly looks irresistible!
JUST made this and it is SO yummy!! Thank you, thank you for sharing! I’m paring the pasta with some chicken and pork italian sausages and broccoli.
You couldn’t be more right about those yummy pasta sides!I wish I could go back to the days when I had no idea how unhealthy all of that stuff was. Ingnorance really is bliss. But I’d trade those processed nuggest of goodness for my health any day :) Well… most days.
These look so good! My kids will go nuts for them!
IGE! I freaking loved these things in college too. Being broke and they were (and still are) tasty. Now a few years removed from college, I now care not just about taste, but ingredients as well. Love love love that your recipe uses real food. I think I’d probably die if I read the label on one of those packets these days. If you’re tempted to re-create the herb rice packet… no complaints here ;)
I used to be obsessed with late night cheesy shells in the college days. This is taking me back…I definitely need to make this!
Just discovered your site and love it. I used to have these pasta/rice side dishes 2 or 3 times a month. Have decided not to eat any more of these processed foods (last one I made was a month ago). So happy you posted this recipe I will be making it next week.
I love those pasta packets, too. Why are they so good but so bad? I will have to try this!
P.S. Sometimes I send your recipes to my fiance’ when they look like something he would love. He told me he has a crush on you! :-) haha