Basil Garlic Tomato Pasta (Printer-Friendly)

A creamy tomato sauce with garlic and basil blended perfectly with penne pasta in a single pot.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta

→ Sauce Base

02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 4 garlic cloves, 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 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
14 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Water

15 - 2 1/2 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth

# Method:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and ground black pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine.
04 - Pour in pasta and water or broth, ensuring the pasta is submerged. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
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 grated Parmesan. Cook uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce becomes creamy.
07 - Remove from heat, fold in chopped basil, and adjust seasoning with additional pepper as desired.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra basil and Parmesan if preferred.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pot, so youre not juggling boiling water and simmering sauce at the same time.
  • The pasta absorbs the tomato sauce as it cooks, which means more flavor in every bite than youd ever get from draining and tossing.
  • It tastes like youve been cooking for hours, but youre done in thirty minutes flat.
  • Fresh basil and garlic make the kitchen smell like an Italian grandmothers house, even if youve never set foot in one.
02 -
  • Stir the pasta every few minutes while it simmers, or the bottom layer will stick and burn, which ruins the whole pot.
  • If the pasta looks too dry before its fully cooked, add a splash more water or broth, because you want a little liquid left to mix with the cream.
  • Dont add the basil too early or it turns brown and loses its fresh flavor, so wait until the very end.
03 -
  • Use a wide, shallow pot instead of a tall one so the pasta cooks evenly and you can stir it without splashing sauce everywhere.
  • Grate your Parmesan right before you add it, because freshly grated cheese melts into the sauce like a dream, while the pre-shredded stuff just clumps up.
  • If youre using dried basil instead of fresh, add it early with the tomatoes, but honestly, fresh basil makes all the difference here.
Return