Description
A quick and comforting creamy tomato basil pasta ready in about 30 minutes, perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Pasta and Cream Sauce
- 8 oz Pasta (penne, rigatoni, or fettuccine)
- 2 tbsp Olive oil or butter
- 2-4 cloves Garlic (Adjust based on preference)
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste (For deeper tomato flavor)
- 28 oz Crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce (Use good quality tomatoes)
- 1 cup Heavy cream (Or use half and half for lighter version)
- 1/2 cup Freshly grated Parmesan (For best flavor)
- 1 cup Fresh basil (Torn or chopped)
- to taste Salt and pepper
- 1 pinch Red pepper flakes (Optional)
Instructions
Preparation
- Boil the pasta in salted water until just tender. Before you drain it, scoop out about 1 cup of pasta water and set it aside.
- While the pasta cooks, warm olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Do not let it brown.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook it for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add crushed tomatoes and a pinch of salt and pepper. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Turn the heat to low and pour in the cream. Stir until smooth. Add parmesan and stir again until it melts into the sauce.
- Add the drained pasta to the pan and toss it around. If it looks too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water.
- Turn off the heat and stir in fresh basil. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Notes
Keep the heat low when adding cream to prevent separation. Fresh basil should be added at the end for best flavor. Leftovers can be reheated gently with a splash of cream or water.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: dinner, Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian