Creamy Tomato Pasta Dish (Printable Version)

Silky tomato and cream sauce with garlic and basil, tossed with tender pasta for a comforting meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or spaghetti pasta
02 - Salt, for pasta water

→ Sauce

03 - 2 tbsp olive oil
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
07 - 1 tbsp tomato paste
08 - 1 tsp sugar
09 - 1 tsp dried oregano
10 - ½ tsp chili flakes (optional)
11 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
12 - ½ cup heavy cream
13 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
14 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion for 3 to 4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, chili flakes if using, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Reduce heat, stir in heavy cream and grated Parmesan. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce is creamy and heated through.
05 - Add drained pasta to sauce and toss to coat evenly. Add reserved pasta water as needed to adjust sauce consistency.
06 - Plate immediately and garnish with fresh basil and additional Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It pulls together in under thirty minutes using ingredients you probably already have tucked away in your pantry.
  • The sauce clings to every piece of pasta in that satisfying way that makes you scrape the bowl clean.
  • It's fancy enough to serve guests but forgiving enough to make on autopilot after a long day.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving that pasta water—I learned this the hard way when my sauce turned into a thick, gloopy paste and I had no way to loosen it back up.
  • Add the cream off high heat or it can break and turn grainy instead of velvety, which happened to me exactly once and I've never forgotten it.
  • Taste your sauce before adding the pasta and adjust the salt then, because once it's all mixed together it's harder to fix.
03 -
  • Use the best canned tomatoes you can afford—San Marzano or fire-roasted varieties bring a sweetness and depth that cheaper brands just don't deliver.
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh from a block instead of buying pre-grated, it melts smoother and tastes about ten times better.
  • If your sauce tastes flat, a tiny pinch of sugar and an extra crack of black pepper can wake everything up in seconds.

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