Basil Garlic Creamy Tomato (Printer-Friendly)

Comforting creamy tomato pasta blended with fragrant basil and garlic, all cooked together in one pot.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta

→ Sauce Base

02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
06 - 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
07 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
08 - 1 tsp sugar
09 - 1 tsp salt
10 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Cream & Cheese

11 - 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp heavy cream
12 - 2 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese

→ Herbs & Finish

13 - 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus extra for garnish
14 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Water

15 - 2 1/2 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth

# Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and red pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine thoroughly.
04 - Add pasta and water or vegetable broth, ensuring the pasta is fully submerged. Bring mixture to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 12 to 14 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and most liquid is absorbed.
06 - Stir in heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Cook uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce achieves a creamy consistency.
07 - Remove from heat. Fold in chopped basil leaves and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
08 - Serve the dish hot, garnished with additional basil and Parmesan cheese as desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It dirties exactly one pot, which means you can eat dinner instead of scrubbing dishes until bedtime.
  • The pasta absorbs the tomato sauce as it cooks, so every bite tastes like it simmered for hours even though you were done in thirty minutes.
  • Fresh basil stirred in at the end makes the whole kitchen smell like a summer garden, no matter what month it actually is.
  • You can double the batch and have creamy, comforting leftovers that taste even better the next day.
02 -
  • Stir the pasta every few minutes while it simmers or the bottom layer will stick and scorch, leaving you with a burnt smell that no amount of cream can hide.
  • If the sauce looks too thick before the pasta is fully cooked, splash in a little more water or broth and keep simmering—the pasta needs moisture to finish properly.
  • Add the basil only after you turn off the heat so it stays bright green and aromatic instead of turning dark and bitter from prolonged cooking.
03 -
  • Use a Dutch oven or a deep skillet with a lid so the pasta has enough room to cook evenly without overflowing when it boils.
  • Grate your own Parmesan instead of buying pre-grated cheese, because freshly grated melts smoother and tastes sharper, making the sauce noticeably creamier.
  • If you want a lighter version, swap half the heavy cream for whole milk or reserve some pasta cooking liquid to stir in at the end for a silky texture without all the richness.
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