Somewhere along the way, entertaining started to feel complicated.
We scroll through perfectly styled tablescapes, multi-course meals, and elaborate recipes and start to believe that gathering has to look a certain way to be meaningful. But the truth is, gathering doesn’t have to be elaborate to matter.
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the importance of creating rhythms with the people we love.
I have a close group of friends and family that I genuinely try to gather with often. Sometimes it’s dinner at one of our houses, sometimes it’s a last-minute group text asking if everyone wants to grab Taco Tuesday at a local restaurant, and sometimes it’s simply whoever has the energy to host that week opening their door and saying, “Come over.”
What matters most isn’t where we gather or whether everything is perfect. It’s the consistency of continuing to make time for one another in the middle of busy schedules and everyday life.
I think one of the reasons people hesitate to host is because we’ve convinced ourselves entertaining has to be complicated. We think the house has to be spotless, the meal has to be impressive, and dessert has to be homemade.
But honestly, some of the best evenings happen around simple meals and slightly messy kitchen counters.
When it’s my turn to host, I want something that feels special without requiring me to spend the entire evening cooking. More times than not, I turn to this creamy prosciutto pasta.
It feels elevated enough for entertaining, but it comes together quickly enough that I can actually enjoy the people sitting around my table instead of feeling stuck in the kitchen all night.
Honestly, prosciutto may be one of my favorite shortcuts for entertaining because it instantly adds richness and flavor without a lot of effort.
This pasta has become one of those meals my friends and family request over and over again. It feels cozy enough for a casual dinner with friends but special enough for a simple at-home date night as well.
And I think that’s the beauty of having a few dependable recipes in your back pocket. When entertaining feels approachable, you’re more likely to actually invite people over. You stop waiting for the perfect moment and start creating more opportunities to gather.
So this month, I thought I’d share one of my favorite easy entertaining recipes — a creamy prosciutto pasta that has made its way to my table time and time again.
Rachel’s Creamy Prosciutto Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta
- 4 ounces prosciutto, chopped
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Fresh cracked black pepper
- Fresh parsley and extra parmesan for serving
Directions
- Cook pasta in heavily salted water until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- In a large skillet, cook the prosciutto over medium heat until slightly crisp around the edges.
- Add the shallots and cook until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add butter, chicken broth, and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Reduce heat and stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Add the cooked pasta directly into the sauce, tossing until coated. Add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
- Finish with extra parmesan, black pepper, parsley, and crispy prosciutto before serving.
Serve with warm bread, a simple salad, and people you enjoy lingering around the table with.
