This creamy goat cheese pasta uses a simple sauce with just a few ingredients. It’s a quick and easy dinner idea but you’d never know it from the taste!
Not surprisingly, I cook a lot. And sometimes a recipe turns out fantastic but I know I’ll never make it again because it was just too complicated. There’s something satisfying about tackling a difficult recipe, but once you’ve done it… it’s not as magical to do it again. However, when something turns out fantastic and it’s super easy then I know it’s going to be a regular feature at the dinner table. When I took a bite of this goat cheese pasta I couldn’t believe it was so easy. Seriously, get excited.
Tips for Creamy Goat Cheese Pasta
- This goat cheese pasta is best served right away. I don’t recommend saving leftovers and reheating, because the texture of the sauce can get a bit dry after it’s been cooled and reheated. Feel free to cut the recipe in half if you’re just making dinner for two!
- I’d recommend getting a high-quality goat cheese since the flavor really shines in the sauce. We have a local vendor here in Richmond that sells fresh goat cheese at the farmer’s market and it’s perfect in this sauce.
Type of pasta to use
I’ve made this recipe with regular pasta, whole-wheat pasta, and chickpea pasta. All of them will work, but I did find that the pasta water from the chickpea pasta made the sauce just a tiny bit thinner than when I used the pasta water from regular pasta. I still like using chickpea pasta for this recipe since it has so much protein and fiber, but it does produce a slightly different sauce.
Substitution Ideas
- Feel free to swap in other vegetables! I love making this with peas or broccoli. You can also use spinach, just wait to add it until you’re mixing the sauce. The spinach will wilt slightly when mixed with the warm pasta.
- I usually make this with plain goat cheese but I’ve also used a garlic and herb flavor that was delicious as well!
5 Ingredient Creamy Goat Cheese Pasta
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: Serves 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Pasta
Description
This creamy and delicious pasta requires just a handful of ingredients and it’s ready in 15 minutes!
Ingredients
- 12 oz whole wheat pasta or chickpea pasta
- 4 oz soft goat cheese
- 1 pound fresh asparagus
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- While you wait for the water to boil, wash the asparagus and snap about 1 inch off of the ends.
- Add the pasta to the boiling water. When there is 5 minutes left in the cooking time, add the asparagus to the pot of pasta and cook until the pasta al dente. (If your asparagus is really thick, it may need up to 7 minutes.)
- Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and then drain the rest of the water from the pot. Add the pasta water and olive oil to the goat cheese and stir until creamy. Add to the cheese to the pasta and asparagus mixture.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper and red pepper flakes, if desired.
Keywords: Goat Cheese Pasta
Adding your asparagus and pasta into the same pot means you only have one pot to wash when you’re done! It’s also faster because you only have to boil water once!
If you have a little asparagus leftover, try it in a salad! This Asparagus and Farro Salad is one of my personal favorites. You can serve it warm or cold so it’s a great make-ahead dish!
What’s your favorite goat cheese recipe?
Claudia
Hi, this looks great! Could you tell me how and when the olive oil is used? Is it added to the pasta water? Thank you!
Liz
Hi Claudia! I’m so sorry that wasn’t clear in the recipe! I’ve updated the instructions. You can add the oil in when you add the pasta water. Thanks for your comment!