Description
This Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta features tender pasta tossed in a rich, velvety tomato cream sauce with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s restaurant-quality comfort food made easy in your own kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound pasta (penne, rigatoni, or fettuccine)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for serving)
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional, if tomatoes are acidic)
- Reserved pasta water (about 1 cup)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente (usually 8-10 minutes). Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Sauté the garlic: While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Build the tomato sauce: Pour the crushed tomatoes into the skillet with the garlic. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly.
- Add the cream: Reduce heat to medium-low. Slowly pour in the heavy cream, stirring constantly to combine. Let the sauce simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until it thickens to a creamy consistency. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon.
- Season the sauce: Stir in the chopped fresh basil, grated Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Taste and adjust seasonings. If the sauce tastes too acidic, add the sugar and stir until dissolved.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the creamy tomato sauce. Toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated. If the sauce seems too thick, add reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- Finish and serve: Remove from heat. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately in bowls, garnished with extra fresh basil and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Pasta water is liquid gold: The starchy pasta water helps the sauce cling to the pasta better and creates a silkier texture. Don’t skip reserving it!
- Don’t overcook the garlic: Burnt garlic tastes bitter and will ruin your sauce. If your garlic starts to brown, reduce the heat immediately.
- Fresh basil timing matters: Add most of the basil to the sauce near the end of cooking to preserve its bright flavor, and save some for garnish.
- Customize your protein: This recipe is vegetarian, but you can easily add grilled chicken, shrimp, Italian sausage, or crispy bacon.
- Make it dairy-free: Substitute coconut cream for heavy cream and use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan for a dairy-free version.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 64g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 52mg