Set your sights on dinner in 15 minutes or less and it doesn’t involve getting a delivery. This 15-Minute Creamy Tomato Pasta has sweet sautéed onions, garlic, rich tomato paste, and a touch of cream combined for a flavor packed sauce that rivals any restaurant dish. This quick dinner winner that will make the whole family and your budget happy.
This pasta with tomato cream sauce dish is in my weekly meal plan at least twice a month. It is a great meal to whip up at the end of the week when groceries are starting to run a little low. All of the ingredients are staples in my house, and it would be rare to find me without them.
Try Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions or Tomato Basil Bisque to get dinner on the table in 30 minutes.
Make the recipe tonight! Because...
The creamy tomato sauce has big flavor without the all day prep that traditional red sauce requires.
It is a large recipe, but very budget friendly. It can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a big group.
You probably have all the ingredients on hand.
Pasta in cream sauce is the perfect food!
Ingredients
-Tomato Paste: Unlike tomato sauce or canned crushed tomatoes, tomato paste is thick and rich tasting. It doesn’t have any of the tart, acidic flavor of uncooked tomatoes. Tomato paste has been cooked down and concentrated to its essence, and a little goes a long way.
Because the tomato paste is already cooked, it adds great depth of flavor to this creamy tomato sauce in just a few minutes.
Instructions
Step 1
- Bring a pot of water to boil on the stove and add a generous sprinkling of salt. Boil rigatoni or penne using the instructions on the package.
- Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining the pot.
- Saute diced onions and minced garlic in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent.
Step 2
- Add the tomato paste to the pan and stir it into the onions and warm it through. Thin the paste with the reserved pasta water, then add the cream, and basil to the tomato sauce.
Step 3
- Combine the ingredients and bring to a low simmer. Add the cooked pasta to the finished tomato cream sauce and serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
FAQs
Yes! If you do not have the heavy cream, use the half and half you have on hand for coffee. You can also use regular milk and add 2 Tablespoons of butter for richness. Cream cheese is also a good substitute, but you will need about a ¼ of a cup more pasta water to thin the sauce.
Unlike tomato sauce or canned crushed tomatoes, tomato paste is thick and rich tasting. It doesn’t have any of the tart, acidic flavor of uncooked tomatoes. It has been cooked down and concentrated to its essence, and a little goes a long way.
Expert Tips
Start the pasta water on the stove before anything else. This way you can cook the pasta while your sauce is coming together.
Don’t Forget to save the pasta water.
This sauce comes together very quickly so make sure to pull all of your ingredients out before you get started.
After the onions soften, add garlic. It is really important not to add the garlic at the same time as the onion. Garlic has lots of sugars and when it is left to cook too long it burns and becomes bitter. I always wait to add garlic until my onions are almost completely cooked. Pressed or minced garlic cooks really fast and just needs to warm through to start adding that amazing flavor.
Enjoy more easy to make Italian Classics, try Basil Pesto Sauce, Classic Shrimp Scampi, Authentic Italian Meatballs in Red Pasta Sauce, and Classic Meat Lasagna.
Did you make this Creamy Tomato Pasta? Follow me on Instagram, post a photo and tag @deliciousbydesigntv. Leave me a 5 Star Review!
"📖 Recipe"
15-Minute Creamy Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb Pasta Rigatoni or Penne
- ½ Yellow Onion
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 6 oz Canned Tomato Paste
- ½ Cup Heavy Cream
- ½ Cup Reserved Pasta Water
- 1 tablespoon Dehydrated Basil or 3 tablespoon Fresh
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper To Taste
- ½ Cup Grated Parmesan for topping Optional
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to boil on the stove. Add salt to the water. Boil rigatoni or penne using the instructions on the package.
- Before draining away the pasta water, reserve ½ cup of pasta water.
- Gather all of the sauce ingredients because this sauce cooks up very fast.
- Dice onions and mince garlic.
- Heat a large skillet on medium heat.
- Add Olive Oil to the skillet and add diced onions. Saute onions until they are translucent. Then add minced garlic and let it warm through.
- Add 6oz of tomato paste to the onions and garlic.
- Add the reserved pasta water and start to thin out the tomato sauce.
- Next add the cream to the paste and stir.
- Season the tomato cream sauce with salt, pepper, and dry basil.
- Add the cooked pasta to the cream sauce and stir until pasta is well coated with creamy sauce and the entire dish is hot.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve
Notes
- Start the pasta water on the stove before anything else. This way you can drop the pasta while your sauce is coming together.
- Don’t Forget to save the pasta water.
- This sauce comes together very quickly so make sure to pull all of your ingredients out before you get started.
- After the onions soften, add garlic. It is really important not to add the garlic at the same time as the onion. Garlic has lots of sugars and when it is left to cook too long it burns and becomes bitter. I always wait to add garlic until my onions are almost completely cooked. Pressed or minced garlic cooks really fast and just needs to warm through to start adding that amazing flavor.
- If you do not have the heavy cream, use the half and half you have on hand for coffee. You can also use regular milk and add 2 Tablespoons of butter for richness. Cream cheese is also a good substitute, but you will need about a ¼ of a cup more pasta water to thin the sauce.
Michelle Cardella
Made this tonight. Quick, easy and delicious 😋
Soran
Save the pasta water for what? It doesn't get mentioned again in the recipe.
Diana Reis
Thanks for for checking out my recipes. Save the pasta water to thin the tomato paste. It is referred to in step 2 in the text and step 8 on the recipe card. I hope this turned out for you.
Rose
Yes it does
#8 in instructions. Haven't tried it yet but I will. Good luck.
Tam
Thank you so much! This was great, easy and delicious. I only had tomato paste and needed to make sauce. Perfect!
Lacey
SO simple and easy! I add sauted boneless chicken breast to make it a little heartier. Tastes like u slaved over this meal, but u really didnt!! I serve with a salad and garlic bread. Its definitely a winner!!
Diana Reis
I’m so glad you loved it! Good call on the chicken. Definitely rounds out the meal!!
Kathryn
Added precooked rotessori chicken for some protein. Huge hit with the whole family! The 2 year old scarfed it down and the picky 4 year old told me it was the “best meal ever!” Definitely going into our rotation of meals! Super easy! Thanks!
Diana Reis
That’s amazing! So glad everyone loved it. I feel you with those picky eaters.
Keneilwe
Really liked it but lacked a bit more flavour or rather say punch so I tweaked it and added more spices And herbs
TerryF
Really good - thx!
Kay
I made this today since I was in a hurry. Tomorrow I have a final exam so had to cook up something quickly. It was really good for a 15 minute recipe. Didn’t have cream, so added fresh milk., and a little cheese in the end. Thank you. Highly recommend.
Diana Reis
So glad you loved it! Sounds like you made great improvisation. I would definitely call this recipe a flexipe because there aren't many ways to go wrong with an easy pasta sauce.
LisaJane
Loved this. I subbed fat free half and half for the heavy cream and it was great.
Francia Csaba
Hi,
We have been preparing this pasta for years but we do not know the name of this dish. What is it?
My wife calls it pasta Pinocchio but I haven't found anything like that on the net. Any ideas, please let me know.
Greetings:
Csaba Francia
Diana Reis
Honestly, I don't have a name for it either. I always research to see if I'm missing something, but I haven't found a specific name other than creamy tomato. I guess we all just love this easy, nameless thing.