Creamy Tomato Pasta Basil (Printable Version)
Luscious tomato cream pasta enriched with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese for comforting flavors.
# Ingredient List:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz dried penne or fusilli pasta
→ Sauce
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
06 - ½ cup heavy cream
07 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
08 - 1 tsp sugar
09 - ½ tsp salt, adjust to taste
10 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
11 - Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
→ Finish
12 - 1 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
13 - ½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
14 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
# Step-by-Step Instructions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until soft and translucent.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add tomato paste to the skillet, stirring continuously for 1 minute to intensify flavor.
05 - Pour in crushed tomatoes, sugar, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
07 - Add drained pasta to the sauce along with Parmesan cheese, butter, and half of the torn basil. Toss gently to coat, adding reserved pasta water gradually if sauce consistency is too thick.
08 - Plate immediately and garnish with remaining Parmesan cheese and basil leaves.
# Tips from hearthlykitchen:
01 -
- It comes together in under 30 minutes, which means weeknight dinner can actually taste like restaurant-quality food.
- The cream mellows the tomato acidity into something almost buttery and gentle, the kind of sauce you want to soak into every strand of pasta.
- Fresh basil stirred in at the end gives you that bright, aromatic hit that makes the whole dish feel alive.
02 -
- Don't skip the step of toasting the tomato paste—it genuinely tastes different and less like canned food, and it takes thirty seconds.
- Reserve your pasta water before draining because starchy pasta water is the secret to a sauce that clings to the noodles instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
- Add the cream slowly and on lower heat, or it can break and look grainy instead of silky smooth.
03 -
- Don't use pre-grated Parmesan if you can help it—it's coated with anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly into the sauce.
- Keep your heat medium to medium-low once the cream goes in; high heat can break the cream and make everything taste separated and grainy instead of silky.