Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta (Printable version)
Luscious pasta in creamy tomato sauce with basil and Parmesan.
# What you need:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz penne or fettuccine
→ Sauce
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
06 - ½ cup heavy cream
07 - 1 teaspoon sugar
08 - ½ teaspoon salt
09 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 - Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
→ Finish
11 - ¾ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
12 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
# How To:
01 - Boil pasta in salted water until al dente, drain and retain ½ cup of pasta water.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook onion until translucent, then add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
03 - Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes; simmer for 8 to 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
04 - Reduce heat, stir in heavy cream, and let simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened.
05 - Add drained pasta to sauce; toss well, adding reserved pasta water as needed for desired creaminess.
06 - Remove from heat and fold in torn basil and grated Parmesan; adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Plate immediately, garnishing with extra Parmesan and basil if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It's ready in 30 minutes, which means you can have restaurant-quality comfort food on a Tuesday without the stress.
- The cream softens the tomato's acidity into something almost velvety, and fresh basil at the end makes it taste like you actually tried.
- Parmesan doesn't just sit on top here, it melts into every bite and gives you that reason to keep twirling your fork.
02 -
- Never add the cream while the sauce is boiling hard, or it can split and leave you with a curdled mess that no amount of stirring fixes.
- Reserving pasta water is not optional; those starchy tablespoons are what transforms a good pasta into one that clings with purpose.
03 -
- Toast a few pinches of red pepper flakes in the oil before adding the onion, and the whole sauce tastes like it came from somewhere with stronger intentions.
- Tear your basil by hand at the absolute last second, right into the warm pasta, so it releases its best oils into the steam still rising from the skillet.