Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta (Print Version)
Pasta tossed in a smooth tomato cream sauce with fresh basil and Parmesan, perfect for any occasion.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz penne or fettuccine pasta
→ Sauce
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
06 - 1 tsp sugar
07 - 1 tsp salt
08 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
09 - ½ cup heavy cream
10 - ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
11 - ½ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped
→ To Serve
12 - Additional grated Parmesan cheese
13 - Fresh basil leaves
# How to Cook:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
03 - Incorporate the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly.
04 - Pour in the crushed tomatoes, then add sugar, salt, and black pepper. Simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly.
05 - Reduce heat and stir in the heavy cream. Allow the sauce to simmer gently for 2 minutes to combine flavors.
06 - Stir in the grated Parmesan until melted, creating a smooth, velvety sauce.
07 - Add the cooked pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat evenly. Gradually add reserved pasta water, a little at a time, to achieve desired consistency.
08 - Remove from heat and fold in the fresh basil leaves gently.
09 - Plate immediately, garnished with additional Parmesan and basil as preferred.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It tastes restaurant-quality but comes together faster than ordering delivery.
- The cream mellows the tomato acidity into something almost luxurious, no fancy ingredients needed.
- You can make it on a weeknight without thinking and still feel like you're treating yourself.
02 -
- Don't skip the pasta cooking water—it's starchy and essential for tightening the sauce to coat rather than pool at the bottom.
- Add the cream slowly and off-heat or very low heat; high temperatures can cause it to separate and turn grainy instead of silky.
- Taste the sauce before adding salt because the Parmesan adds saltiness too, and oversalting is the easiest mistake to make.
03 -
- Use a box grater and grate Parmesan fresh right before cooking—it melts into the sauce like butter, while pre-grated versions contain anti-caking agents that make the sauce grainy.
- Reserve pasta water before draining; that starch is what transforms a sauce from separated puddle to perfectly clingy coating.