Basil Garlic Creamy Tomato (Printable Version)

A creamy tomato pasta with garlic and fresh basil prepared in one pot for rich flavor and easy cooking.

# Needed Ingredients:

→ 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

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add finely 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 thoroughly to combine.
04 - Add pasta and pour in water or vegetable broth, ensuring 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 freshly grated Parmesan. Cook uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce becomes creamy.
07 - Remove from heat. Fold in chopped fresh basil and adjust seasoning as required.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with additional basil leaves and extra Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It actually tastes like you spent hours simmering sauce, but you'll have it on the table in 30 minutes flat.
  • One pot means one thing to clean, and honestly, that alone makes this worth cooking on a weeknight.
  • The cream and basil transform canned tomatoes into something that feels far more elegant than the ingredients suggest.
02 -
  • Don't let the pasta cook before you add the liquid—raw pasta in a cold pot that then heats up cooks much more evenly than pasta dropped into already-boiling water in a small amount of sauce.
  • If the sauce looks thin after cooking, don't panic; the residual heat will continue thickening it slightly as you fold in the basil and cream, and a silky, pourable sauce is actually better than a thick one.
  • Stir occasionally, but not constantly—let the bottom develop a slight crust that you stir in, because that caramelized layer adds depth that constant stirring prevents.
03 -
  • If your sauce breaks when you add the cream (it separates and looks oily), don't throw it out—just remove it from heat, let it cool for a minute, and whisk in a splash of pasta water or broth to bring it back together smoothly.
  • Toast your Parmesan rind in the pot before you start if you have one lying around; it dissolves into the sauce and adds a subtle depth that nobody can quite name but everyone notices.
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