Description
This Creamy Tomato Garlic Pasta is rich, comforting, and full of bold garlic and tomato flavor. Tender pasta is coated in a silky tomato cream sauce made with fresh garlic, Parmesan, and a touch of cream. This easy one-pan dinner comes together quickly and tastes restaurant-worthy!
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz pasta (penne, spaghetti, or rigatoni)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup pasta water (as needed)
- Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water, then drain.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onions; sauté 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to deepen the flavor.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simmer 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in the heavy cream until the sauce becomes rich and creamy.
- Add Parmesan cheese and stir until melted.
- Toss cooked pasta into the sauce, adding reserved pasta water as needed for smoothness.
- Simmer 1–2 minutes until the sauce clings to the noodles.
- Top with fresh basil and extra Parmesan before serving.
Notes
Add grilled chicken, shrimp, or Italian sausage for protein. For deeper flavor, sauté the tomato paste until slightly caramelized. Swap heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter version. Leftovers reheat beautifully with a splash of milk or cream.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 540mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
Keywords: creamy tomato garlic pasta, tomato cream sauce, easy pasta recipe, weeknight pasta, Italian pasta dish, garlic pasta