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Creamy Tomato Pasta
nibbleboard.com/recipes/creamy-tomato-pasta
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 8 ounces penne pasta (or rigatoni)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (14 oz) can tomato sauce
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
For serving
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook penne according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and sauté, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute until it darkens slightly and turns brick red.
- Pour in the tomato sauce, heavy cream, and Italian seasoning. Whisk until smooth and combined. Reduce heat to medium and let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes until noticeably thickened.
- Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. If the sauce tastes too acidic, add a pinch of sugar to balance it out.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss to coat evenly. Splash in a little reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick — you want it silky, not gluey.
- Serve immediately topped with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan and chopped parsley.
Nutrition per Serving
464Calories
18gProtein
29gCarbs
32gFat
Chef Tips
- I've found that cooking the tomato paste for a full minute before adding the liquids makes a huge difference — it caramelizes slightly and removes that raw, tinny flavor.
- Save more pasta water than you think you need. The starch in it is what makes the sauce cling to every tube instead of sliding off. I usually keep a full cup even if I only use a splash.
- After trying both canned tomato sauce and passata, I slightly prefer passata for a smoother result — but either works perfectly here.
- This sauce thickens as it sits, so if you're making it ahead or have leftovers, add a splash of milk or cream when reheating to bring it back to life.
- For a lighter version, swap half the cream for whole milk. It won't be quite as rich, but it's still really good — that's how I make it when I'm watching calories during the week.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The sauce will thicken as it cools — that's normal.