Creamy Tomato Pasta Dish (Printable Format)
Smooth tomato cream sauce with pasta, infused with garlic, herbs, and Parmesan cheese.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta
→ Sauce
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
06 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
07 - 1 tsp dried oregano
08 - 1/2 tsp dried basil
09 - 1/2 tsp red chili flakes (optional)
10 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
11 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 - Salt, to taste
13 - Black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
14 - Chopped fresh basil
15 - Extra Parmesan cheese
# How-To Steps:
01 - Boil salt-seasoned water in a large pot and cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until translucent.
03 - Incorporate minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, and optional red chili flakes. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Reduce heat, stir in heavy cream and grated Parmesan. Simmer 2 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
06 - Add cooked pasta to sauce, tossing to coat evenly. Adjust consistency with reserved pasta water if needed.
07 - Plate immediately, garnished with fresh basil and extra Parmesan cheese.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- This sauce feels like a little secret between friends because it’s rich without being heavy.
- Once I nailed the balance between the tomatoes and cream, it instantly became a favorite in my dinner rotation.
02 -
- Don’t overcook the pasta because that slight bite is what makes this dish truly satisfying.
- I found that adding the cream off the heat and letting the Parmesan melt slowly prevents the sauce from splitting.
03 -
- Always save a bit of pasta water to tweak the sauce consistency at the end.
- The secret that makes all the difference is adding the cream off the heat to avoid curdling.