Save There's something about cooking everything in one pot that feels like a small rebellion against the usual dinner chaos. Years ago, I stood in my kitchen on a Tuesday evening, staring at a sink full of dishes from a previous meal, when I decided pasta needed to be simpler. I threw pasta, crushed tomatoes, and cream into a single Dutch oven and waited, and what emerged was this silky, garlicky sauce that clung to every strand. That night taught me that sometimes the best dishes come from constraint, not complexity.
I made this for my friend Marco, who showed up unexpectedly after his shift at the restaurant, tired and hungry. I pulled together what was in my pantry—pasta, garlic, cream—and he watched from the counter as the sauce came together in that single pot. When I slid the bowl in front of him, he took one bite and went quiet, and I realized how often the best meals aren't about showing off, they're about meeting someone exactly where they are.
Ingredients
- Penne or fusilli pasta (350 g): The ridges and tubes catch the cream sauce beautifully—avoid thin spaghetti here, as it absorbs too much liquid and gets mushy.
- Olive oil (2 tbsp): Use your better oil for the initial sauté; it's the foundation flavor and doesn't cook long enough to lose its character.
- Yellow onion (1 medium, finely chopped): The sweet base that mellows out the acidity of the tomatoes—don't skip it, and don't rush the sauté.
- Garlic (4 cloves, minced): Fresh garlic makes the whole dish, so mince it fine and add it at just the right moment so it becomes fragrant but never bitter.
- Red pepper flakes (1/2 tsp, optional): A whisper of heat that wakes up the cream without overwhelming anyone at the table.
- Crushed tomatoes (800 g canned): Buy the best canned tomatoes you can find; they're concentrated summer in a can and deserve to be treated with respect.
- Tomato paste (2 tbsp): This deepens the tomato flavor into something almost wine-like, a small ingredient that changes everything.
- Sugar (1 tsp): A chef taught me this balances acidity in a way salt can't; trust it even if it sounds odd.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper: Season as you go, tasting constantly, because the intensity builds as the liquid reduces.
- Heavy cream (200 ml): Cold cream straight from the fridge stirred into hot tomato sauce creates a luxurious, velvety texture that no vegetable-based substitute quite captures.
- Parmesan cheese (60 g, freshly grated): Grate it yourself from a wedge; pre-grated cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly into the sauce.
- Fresh basil (1 cup, chopped): Add it at the very end, raw and bright, so the heat doesn't destroy those volatile oils that make basil basil.
- Water or vegetable broth (600 ml): The liquid that becomes your sauce, so if using broth, choose one that's not aggressively seasoned and won't overshadow the tomato.
Instructions
- Build your aromatics:
- Heat olive oil in your large pot over medium heat and add the chopped onion, letting it soften for a few minutes until it turns translucent at the edges. You'll notice the kitchen starting to smell intentional, which is the moment to add the garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring for just one minute until the aroma rises up and hits you—that's your signal to move forward before anything burns.
- Create the sauce base:
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and pepper, mixing everything together until you don't see any white streaks of paste. This is when your pot goes from smelling good to smelling like actual Italian comfort, and you've really only just started.
- Add the pasta and liquid:
- Pour in the raw pasta and water (or broth), stirring so the pasta isn't clumped up and ensuring everything is submerged under the liquid. Bring it to a boil—you'll see the sauce bubble vigorously around the edges, and then you'll reduce the heat.
- Simmer until done:
- Lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and let it bubble gently for 12 to 14 minutes, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom. The pasta will soften, the liquid will reduce, and somewhere around the 12-minute mark, taste a piece of pasta to see if it's where you want it—creamy, tender, but still with a bit of bite.
- Finish with cream and cheese:
- Stir in the cold heavy cream and freshly grated Parmesan, leaving the lid off so you can watch the sauce transform into something silky and luxurious. It only takes 2 to 3 minutes of stirring over medium-low heat, and you'll see the color shift to a warmer, rounder tone—that's when you know it's done.
- Fold in the basil and serve:
- Turn off the heat, tear in the fresh basil, and give it a gentle stir so the heat just releases the aroma without cooking away the brightness. Taste, adjust the salt and pepper if needed, and serve immediately while it's hot and the basil leaves are still whole enough to be noticed.
Save My mother tasted this for the first time in my kitchen and declared it the kind of dish that makes you understand why people gather around tables. It's modest in its ingredients but generous in spirit, the kind of food that bridges that gap between weeknight dinner and something memorable.
When to Make This Dish
This is my recipe for the nights when someone is coming over but you haven't planned much, or when you need to feed people without spending the evening in the kitchen. It's equally good for a quiet dinner alone, where you get to taste every layer because you're paying attention. I make it most often in late summer when fresh basil is spilling off the counters, but honestly, even in winter with supermarket basil and canned tomatoes, it hits the same comfort note.
Variations and Add-Ins
The base is sturdy enough to welcome additions without losing its identity. I've stirred in sautéed spinach, roasted mushrooms, and fresh peas, each one folding into the cream sauce like they were always meant to be there. The one thing I avoid is anything watery—roast your vegetables first if they're wet, or you'll dilute the sauce you've worked to build. For heat lovers, that red pepper flakes amount is just a suggestion; I've met people who add twice that and are perfectly happy.
Pairing and Serving
Serve this with a simple green salad dressed in bright vinaigrette to cut through the richness, or alongside crusty bread for pushing around the bowl when you reach the end. A crisp white wine—Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or even a light Vermentino—sits beside this dish like they were introduced years ago. If you want to be thoughtful, grate extra Parmesan over the top and scatter a few fresh basil leaves like you're not trying too hard, which is always the way that looks best.
- The pasta keeps well for a day or two in the fridge, and reheats gently in a covered pot over low heat with a splash of water to loosen it.
- If you're doubling this for a crowd, add just three-quarters of the extra liquid instead of full amounts, since the sauce will concentrate differently in a larger pot.
- Make this ahead of the cream stage if you like, and finish it just before serving so the basil doesn't lose its color and fragrance.
Save This dish taught me that the fastest meals are often the most satisfying, and that one pot doesn't mean one note. It's simple enough to make on a Tuesday and special enough to set down in front of someone you want to impress.
Recipe Questions & Answers
- → Can I use a different type of pasta?
Yes, penne or fusilli are recommended for this dish, but other short pasta like rigatoni or farfalle can work well to hold the creamy sauce.
- → How can I make this dish vegan?
Substitute heavy cream with plant-based cream and replace Parmesan with vegan cheese alternatives for a dairy-free option.
- → What is the best way to add extra vegetables?
Sauté mushrooms, spinach, or roasted vegetables separately and fold them in just before serving to add nutrition and texture.
- → Is it necessary to use fresh basil?
Fresh basil is ideal for its bright flavor and aroma, but dried basil can be used in a pinch, though in smaller amounts.
- → Can I prepare this in advance?
The dish tastes best served fresh but can be refrigerated and gently reheated, adding a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce if needed.