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.
This was absolutely divine! I used elbow mac because I didnt have any shells. Just the right amount of garlic!
Very Good!!
The pasta was awesome!!! Hubby loved it!! VERY easy to make!!!!
Needed an easy pasta recipe to feed to college kids here for the weekend, found this and took a chance on it. Delicious and easy! And as the front door opened an more kids came into the kitchen, every one of them commented, “Man, something smells really good!” Glad it was so easy and successful! Adding this to the regular rotation on our family meals, too. thanks!!!
So glad you all enjoyed! :)
Thank you!!! Been looking for a replacement to those “packets”.
Definitely going in the favorites now.
I loved this recipe! Tastes even better than the packaged & was a hit! Much more economical as I have a crowd living here short time.
You don’t know this yet, but you’re my new best friend. :) I was in the need for a quick side and love love love the Knorr pasta sides. However, I didn’t have any and have been to the grocery store 3 times this week and was NOT going again. I googled homemade Knorr pasta sides and this recipe popped up. I used what I had on hand which meant egg noodles and Monterey Jack cheese. This was really good. Next time I will try with Parmesan since the jack is pretty mild. Thank you my new BFF!
Glad to help, friend! :)
Yuuum!! Just made this tonight! It was divine and the kids inhaled it :)
This looks delicious. Those packets sure are scary, with all of the junk in them. Thanks for sharing!
YUM! Made this tonight for 3 kids, a baby, my hubby and my parents. It was a huge hit. I doubled the recipe and we still barely had enough! My parents are Asian and usually don’t like pasta OR cheese (what is WRONG with them?! – they prefer rice) but my dad could NOT stop dishing himself more pasta! My mom must have given me 10 compliments – to the point where I was wondering if I’m usually a horrible cook that she was shocked that I actually made something good ?!?! Anyway – thanks for sharing. I’m definitely going to try the kale next. I didn’t have any on hand, so I made a roasted cauliflower and garlic dish, but the kale would’ve been so much better.
I just made this. It was so easy and delicious! Thanks!
I can’t even begin to iterate how much I LOVE those damn garlic shells. But like you, I avoid that aisle like it’s typhoid, plague, and zombies all rolled into one. So….THIS is the best thing ever and I think I’m going to weep with happy!
I don’t usually have chicken broth on hand. Any substitute?
You could use water, but it won’t be as flavorful. I would just buy a small can of chicken broth then freeze the remaining broth!