Date Night Roasted Garlic Parmesan Bucatini
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Date Night Roasted Garlic Parmesan Bucatini
Prepare for a love affair with our Date Night Roasted Garlic Parmesan Bucatini recipe! Picture strands of bucatini bathed in a rich creamy, cheesy sauce, infused with roasted caramelized garlic + a splash of white wine. Perfect for a cozy date night pasta dinner for two or a special gathering with friends, each bite is a journey of buttery richness and savory goodness. Gluten-free, Dairy-free + Vegan option.
Bucatini pasta? It's my latest food obsession, hands down. There's something about its texture + versatility that has me hooked. And let me tell you, when you've got that garlic-Parmesan sauce clinging to those noodles, it's pure magic. Best part? It's ready in just 20 minutes, making it perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a cozy date night in a pinch!
I whipped up this Date Night Roasted Garlic Parmesan Bucatini pasta recipe because I wanted something quick + easy for those busy days when I still wanted to make something special for an impromptu date night with my husband! If you're into creamy pasta dishes, you've got to try my Creamy Jamaican Shrimp Rasta Pasta and Weeknight Creamy Chicken Alfredo or the delicious Creamy Lemon Garlic Herb Kale Pasta.
Pasta is seriously the perfect dish to elevate your weeknight dinners with minimal effort + maximum flavor. Overall this parmesan pasta recipe is definitely comfort food in a bowl (or a plate), includes simple steps, and can totally be personalized based on preference----i.e. add meat if you aren't limited to a meatless diet, sub ingredients with vegan and/or gluten-free ones, adding additional greens for a brightness, etc.
Jump to:
- What is Bucatini Pasta?
- How to Cook Bucatini Pasta
- Ingredients in Roasted Garlic Parmesan Bucatini
- Delicious Additions to Roasted Garlic Parmesan Bucatini
- Topping Ideas for Garlic Parmesan Bucatini
- Why You Will LOVE This Garlic Parmesan Bucatini Recipe
- What Are Delicious Foods to Pair This Parmesan Pasta With?
- Choosing Your Perfect Date Night Pasta
- What Will Thicken Pasta Sauce?
- What White Wine is Best in Pasta?
- Common Q + A's for Roasted Garlic Parmesan Bucatini
- More Deliciously Good Date Night Recipes
- MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
- Date Night Roasted Garlic Parmesan Bucatini
What is Bucatini Pasta?
If you haven’t heard of bucatini pasta or used it, you’re totally missing out! Bucatini pasta has by far become one of my favorite pasta to use (next to rigatoni and pappardelle). This pasta is thicker than spaghetti and has a hollow center running through it, which allows it to “hold up” well in saucy dishes—in my opinion.
It is of course derived from Italy and made of durum wheat flour. Because it is so similar to spaghetti, it’s usually a great substitute for any dish that calls for it. It’s usually readily available as dried pasta and can be stored longer than if you were to purchase it fresh.
How to Cook Bucatini Pasta
Like with many other types of pasta, you bring a pot of water to a boil, add the dried bucatini pasta along with olive oil or salt, and let it boil for 8-12 minutes, depending on the packaging and brand. As always, it’s best to cook your pasta to al’ dente so that it’s not too soft for the sauce when stirring it in.
Ingredients in Roasted Garlic Parmesan Bucatini
- Bucatini pasta. I like to use organic and a high-quality brand! If you can't find Bucatini, you can sub with Spaghetti, Fettuccine, Linguine or Pappardelle.
- Garlic bulbs. These will be roasted whole in the oven to caramelize!
- Extra virgin olive oil. Feel free to use your favorite high-quality EVOO. My fave tried and trusted brand is California Olive Ranch.
CREAMY SAUCE:
- Butter. Use unsalted butter to add additional flavor + fat to the sauce. For vegan/dairy-free option, use vegan butter.
- Heavy cream. I recommend organic–always! Of course, for a dairy-free option, just use full-fat coconut cream/milk.
- Vegetable stock. Use store-bought organic, low-sodium broth or make your own!
- White cooking wine. You can sub with veggie stock.
- Parmesan cheese. Freshly grated makes for the best flavor.
- Sea salt + black pepper.
- Garlic powder. This adds another layer of garlic goodness.
- Dried parsley. Adds a nice herby flavor, you can also use fresh parsley.
- Lemon. A splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
SHOP MY FAVORITE TOOLS FOR COOKING, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS PASTA DISH!
Here, I've curated a list of cooking + baking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baked goods or cooked meals, especially with this Roasted Garlic Parmesan Bucatini recipe. Everything from my fave baking sheet, dutch ovens, immersion hand-blender, mixing bowls, and more. SEE THEM HERE!
Delicious Additions to Roasted Garlic Parmesan Bucatini
Although this Date Night Roasted Garlic Parmesan Bucatini pasta recipe is amazing on its own, if you feel like adding a little extra flare, here are some ideas -
VEGGIE
- Roasted chickpeas for added crunch and protein
- Grilled eggplant or zucchini slices
- Marinated artichokes
- Kale or other greens!
- Sliced Kalamata olives for a tangy twist
- Crumbled tofu or tempeh for a meaty texture
- Steamed broccoli florets for added greenery
MEAT
If you aren't restricted to only meatless options, then you can spruce things up by adding -
- Grilled or shredded chicken
- Blackened chicken
- Sliced Italian sausage (spicy or mild)
- Chopped bacon, or pancetta
- Shrimp or lobster
- Pan seared steak
Topping Ideas for Garlic Parmesan Bucatini
For extra flavor, color, and texture for this pasta recipe, you can try:
- Dollops of Pesto Sauce
- Chopped nuts, such as toasted pecans or walnuts
- Homemade croutons
- Sliced jalapeños for a bit more heat
- Roasted pumpkin seeds for texture
- Crispy sage leaves
- Toasted panko bread crumbs
If you discover a new favorite topping idea, be sure to let me know in the comments section below!
Why You Will LOVE This Garlic Parmesan Bucatini Recipe
- SO creamy, garlicky + oh-so-delicious!
- It’s meatless--but still works for any eater.
- Perfect for busy weeknights or a quick date night pasta--- ready in 20 minutes!
- A definite crowd-pleaser that will have everyone coming back for seconds!
- Loaded with cheesy flavors, velvety + spoonfuls of savory flavors.
What Are Delicious Foods to Pair This Parmesan Pasta With?
Here's the thing. This date-night Garlic Parmesan Bucatini pasta recipe is so delicious and flavorful that you can honestly enjoy it all by itself. Seriously, the hollow shape is ideal for soaking up the + buttery + garlicky creamy sauce! So, feel free to dig in and savor every single bite. It's a dish that stands tall on its own!
But if you're anything like me (A huge bread lover.. Haha), then I recommend enjoying some crusty bread on the side. I make my own homemade Cheesy Kale Garlic Bread and Homemade Roasted Garlic Bread -- and they are an amazing vessel for scooping up every last drop of saucy goodness.
If you want a little freshness, serve it with a salad on the side, like this Fall Harvest BBQ Chickpea Kale Salad, Fall Harvest Apple Kale Salad or this Best Buffalo Chickpea Kale Salad. It's like a fresh burst of flavor that complements this easy date night dinner beautifully.
Choosing Your Perfect Date Night Pasta
I chose to make this dish with Bucatini pasta. However, if you can't find them or don't have any on hand, here are some other great options to consider-
I love using Bucatini pasta because it does a beautiful job of embracing and holding onto the sauce and the texture is just fun to eat! But any of these pasta varieties would work for this dish -
- Spaghetti
- Perciatelli
- Fettucini
- Rigatoni
- Shells
- Penne
- Paccheri
- Orecchiette
- Spirals
- Ravioli + gnocchi would also go wonderfully with this sauce combo!
What Will Thicken Pasta Sauce?
It’s important to thicken your pasta sauce so it gets nice and sticky to the pasta itself. Personally, I add just enough liquid to the grated parmesan ratio, which doesn't really require a thickener. However, if you find that your sauce is too thin, I love using arrowroot starch (which is a great gluten-free option). However, if you don’t have this on hand, using other subs like all-purpose flour, regular cornstarch, or tapioca flour work just fine.
Just be sure to always stir your thickener with warm water until it becomes a ‘milky’ liquid before adding it to the sauce OR you can add the dry thickener to your skillet with the seasonings, right before adding the liquids, whisking until smooth and thickened.
What White Wine is Best in Pasta?
I tend to use a lot of white cooking wine, which is easiest for me. However, I do occasionally add quality white wine to my dishes and I recommend using a dry white wine.
A dry white wine will add the right amount of acidity rather than sweetness, which will better compliment your dish like this date night parmesan pasta. In general, any of the following dry white wines work great in this dish:
Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc, and dry sparkling wines.
Common Q + A's for Roasted Garlic Parmesan Bucatini
Any leftovers can be kept in a tightly sealed container and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
To re-heat, simply microwave for a minute or two or add to a skillet over medium-high heat and stir until heated through. You may need to add ¼-1/2 cup of veggie stock or heavy cream to make things creamy while reheating.
To make this dish dairy-free + vegan, substitute the heavy cream with full-fat coconut cream/milk, butter with vegan butter, and parmesan cheese with dairy-free parmesan or cheese shreds.
To make this dish GF, simply use Gluten-Free pasta and ensure that the cream and stock are GF-friendly.
You can also use coconut oil, avocado oil, or grapeseed oil, instead of olive oil.
More Deliciously Good Date Night Recipes
If you are a fan of this Date Night Roasted Garlic Parmesan Bucatini recipe, then you will also love these recipes for two or more:
- Easy Weeknight Creamy Tuscan Ravioli
- Creamy Salmon Alfredo Pasta
- Creamy Tuscan 'Marry Me' Chicken
- Creamy Tuscan Lobster Pasta
- Best Homemade Vodka Pizza
- Lemon Brown Butter Pasta
- Weeknight Tomato Kale Ravioli Bake
![Overhead shot of Vodka Ravioli [without the Vodka]](https://www.orchidsandsweettea.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Date-Night-Ravioli-6-of-8-720x960.jpg)
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
If you tried this Date Night Roasted Garlic Parmesan Bucatini recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. And don't forget to tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea! I love hearing from you!
Date Night Roasted Garlic Parmesan Bucatini
Ingredients
- 1 (16 oz.) package bucatini pasta
ROASTED GARLIC:
- 2 garlic bulbs
- 2-3 Tbsps Extra virgin olive oil
CREAMY SAUCE:
- 3 Tbsps unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream, organic
- ¼ cup vegetable stock, organic
- 3 Tbsps white cooking wine (You can sub with veggie stock)
- 1 cup freshly-grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- splash of freshly-squeeze lemon juice
GARNISH:
- Freshly-grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
ROAST THE GARLIC:
- Begin by preheating the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and preparing a large piece of foil paper. Add each garlic bulb to the center of the foil paper, drizzle with olive oil and wrap tightly with foil paper.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the garlic bulbs are cooked through and super fragrant, tender, and browned on the edges. Let it cool a bit before removing the garlic from their bulbs + mincing them.
BOIL THE PASTA:
- Cook pasta according to packaging. NOTE: bucatini pasta doesn’t take a long time to cook, usually 10-12 minutes. NOTE: I always add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the boiling water to prevent pasta from sticking together.
TO MAKE THE CREAMY GARLIC PARMESAN SAUCE:
- In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter until melted. Add the minced roasted garlic and sauté for 1 minute or so, until fragrant. Add the salt, black pepper, garlic powder and parsley, stirring until combined.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and slowly add in the heavy cream, white cooking wine, and stock, stirring until combined. Let it slightly bubble for 1-2 minutes and then add in the grated parmesan and splash of lemon juice, whisking until fully melted and sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes.
- When the bucatini pasta is done, drain it and add it to the sauce, tossing until sauce fully coats + sticks to pasta. Serve immediately and garnish with additional parmesan, if desired.
Tips & Tricks
- STORAGE: Any leftovers can be kept in a tightly sealed container and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
- OIL: You can also use coconut oil, avocado oil, or grapeseed oil, instead of olive oil.
- PASTA: You can use long pastas like Pappardelle, Tagliatelle, Fettuccine, etc. however, I would recommend tossing with tongs to ensure that pasta is fully manageable and fully coated. Otherwise, other pastas such as Penne, Rigatoni, Paccheri, Orecchiette, etc. are perfect.
- GREENS: To add a bit more flavor to this dish, you can always feel free to add in your favorite greens such as kale, spinach, broccolini, collards, or asparagus.
- GLUTEN-FREE: To make this dish GF, simply use Gluten-Free pasta and ensure that the cream and stock are GF-friendly.
- DAIRY-FREE OPTION: To make this sauce dairy-free, simply use vegan butter instead of the regular butter. Then swap the cream with full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream. And use your favorite dairy-free shredded cheese or nutritional yeast instead of parmesan.
Nutrition
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