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Creamy one-pan butter Parmesan pasta in black skillet with wooden spoon scooping macaroni showing melted cheese strings, topped with golden buttery breadcrumbs and fresh chopped parsley

One-Pan Golden Butter Parmesan Pasta

A creamy, dreamy one-pan pasta dish where shells are simmered in garlic butter and milk, then finished with a melty cheese blend and a crispy golden breadcrumb topping.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 580
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb Small shell pasta Uncooked
  • 4 tablespoon Unsalted butter Divided
  • 4 cloves Garlic Minced
  • 4 cups Chicken broth Low sodium
  • 2 cups Whole milk Or half-and-half
  • 1 ½ cups Parmesan cheese Freshly grated
  • 1 cup Mozzarella cheese Shredded
  • ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs For topping
  • 2 tablespoon Parsley Chopped

Equipment

  • 1 Cast iron skillet 10 or 12 inch
  • 1 Wooden spoon For stirring
  • 1 Cheese Grater For fresh parmesan

Method
 

  1. Melt butter in a large oven-safe skillet and sauté garlic until fragrant.
  2. Add broth, milk, and pasta. Simmer gently for 15 minutes until pasta is tender.
  3. Remove from heat and stir in mozzarella and 1 cup of parmesan until creamy.
  4. Mix remaining parmesan with Panko and sprinkle over the pasta.
  5. Broil for 2-3 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
  6. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately from the skillet.

Notes

Grate your own Parmesan for the smoothest melt. Watch the broiler closely to prevent burning the topping.