This creamy tomato pasta recipe is simply the best. It is easy, budget-friendly, and cooks in 20 minutes or less making it a great dinner option the family will love. This pasta tomato is moist, rich, flavorful, and super delicious.
Serve on its own or with sides like chicken, fish, beef, or pan fried vegetables.
Creamy Tomato Pasta Recipe
This creamy tomato pasta recipe is so simple but tastes super delicious. Pasta tossed in a creamy tomato sauce to make a flavor-packed, moist, delicious dish that will get people asking for a second serving.
You will love this tomato cream pasta that is made with just a few ingredients that you likely have in your pantry. In fact, less than 10 ingredients are all you need to make this tomato sauce with pasta.
This recipe is as easy as it gets and you do very minimal prep to make it. Just make a creamy tomato pasta sauce with canned tomatoes or any tomato base, boil pasta, mix and you have an indulgent, happy meal.
Kids and adults love this meal and it's one of our family favorites. It's filling, comforting, silky in the mouth, and just so good.
This is a vegetarian dish but you can make it meaty or use it as a base and add in some cubed chicken, canned fish, or shredded beef. To make it vegan, substitute heavy for coconut milk.
For the tomato sauce, I used canned chopped tomatoes however you can also use passata, spaghetti sauce, plum tomatoes, and blended tomatoes. You can also use sundried tomatoes or cherry tomatoes.
I also added tomato paste (tomato puree).
Related: Creamy tuna pasta, creamy steak pasta
Ingredients
The detailed ingredient list, measurements, and directions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Pasta- I use penne for this post but I have used other ones like rigatoni, fusilli, and spaghetti with great results.
Canned chopped Tomatoes- Substitute for passata, marinara, or plum tomatoes.
Tomato paste
Heavy cream- Double cream in UK. You can substitute with non dairy cream like
Onion
Garlic
Italian seasoning
Black pepper
Salt
Olive oil
Basil- I love adding fresh basil leaves as they add flavor and go well with pasta and tomatoes.
Parmesan- To serve
How To Make Tomato Pasta
Make the tomato sauce- Place a skillet, or pot on the stove then add olive oil. Add chopped onions and saute it till it's translucent and fragrant then add garlic.
Then cook for 1 minute before adding chopped tomatoes, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and salt.
Cook for 5 minutes and reduce the heat to low then pour in the cream.
Cook the pasta- Add water to a deep pot and bring it to a boil. Add salt and pasta, then cook uncovered for 10 minutes or till cooked aldente. i.e cooked but firm.
Stir a couple of times through cooking to avoid sticking.
Drain the pasta in a colander.
Mix Pasta with tomato sauce- Add pasta to the creamy tomato sauce and stir till well combined.
Add chopped Basil, stir and take off the heat.
Serve with parmesan and enjoy.
What To Serve With
It is a main meal on its own but can be served with sides like vegetables, chicken, fish, beef, and bread. Examples of some we like to serve with are:
Air fryer bone in chicken thighs
Sauteed vegetables
Fish
Air fryer Vegetables
Broccoli
Garlic bread
No yeast bread
How To Store
When it's completely cooled, pack the pasta into an airtight container, label, and store in the fridge where it will keep well for up to 3 days, or store it in the freezer where it'll be preserved for up to 6 months.
When ready to eat, reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
To Reheat it in the microwave: put the pasta in a microwaveable bowl, sprinkle with some water, cover then microwave at high settings at 30 seconds intervals till it's warmed to your taste.
Cold leftover pasta can be used in salads
More Tomato Pasta Recipes
The best creamy tomato pasta recipes are simple and quick and so are the below suggested ones we love:
Ground beef pasta recipe -This enjoys the benefit of added ground beef. It is packed full of flavor, comforting, filling, and nutritious. It also cooks in under 30 minutes so perfect for weeknight or weekend dinner.
Canned sardine pasta- Tomato and fish pasta that is budget-friendly, packed full of flavor, and delicious. Try it and you will surely add it to your favorite meals.
Mince pasta bake- Creamy, meaty, and cheesy. What's not to love? This pasta bake is a solid 10 over 10.
Instant pot pasta- This tomato pasta without cream is cooked in the instant pot. If you like quick and simple, you'll love it.
Tips For Making Creamy Tomato Pasta
- If the tomato is tart, add a pinch of sugar to the sauce.
- Although you can use long pasta like linguine, or spaghetti, short pasta like rigatoni, or penne, is best for this recipe as they retain sauce in the hollows.
- Heavy cream can be substituted for canned coconut cream or cream cheese.
- Add cayenne for a spicy kick.
- Serve with Parmesan for a creamy cheesy kick.
- Add some spinach towards the end of cooking if you wish.
- You can add vegetables like peas, mushrooms, and carrots.
- Best served hot.
FAQS
It is called tomato pasta, pasta tomato, or as Italians call it, salsa di Pomodoro.
Yes, it is. Not only is it delicious but when eaten in moderation, it provides nutrients and energy for the body.
You can add herbs and spices, vegetables like carrots, peas, and mushrooms, protein like chicken, beef, fish, and shrimp.
It makes it creamy, and moist. Milk is sometimes used by people who don't want to use heavy cream or when it's not available.
Heavy cream, double cream, coconut cream, cream cheese, or even milk.
More Easy Pasta recipes
Want more? Check out these Easy pasta recipes for dinner.
I hope you like this creamy tomato pasta recipe as much as we do. If you find this post helpful, please rate it 5 stars and leave me a comment below. I love reading from you.
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Creamy Tomato Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 300 g (8-10 ounce) Uncooked Pasta
- 1 can Chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup Heavy cream (double cream)
- 1 tablespoon Tomato paste
- 1 medium Onion chopped
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper or to taste
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Basil chopped optional
- Parmesan to serve
Instructions
- Make the tomato sauce- Place a skillet, or pot on the stove then add olive oil. Add chopped onions and saute it till it's translucent and fragrant then add garlic and cook for 1 minute before adding chopped tomatoes, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and salt.
- Cook for 5 minutes and reduce the heat to low then pour in the cream.
- Cook the pasta- Add water to a deep pot and bring it to a boil. Add salt and pasta, then cook uncovered for 10 minutes or till cooked aldente. i.e cooked but firm. Stir a couple of times through cooking to avoid sticking.Drain the pasta in a colander.
- Mix Pasta with tomato sauce- Add pasta to the creamy tomato sauce and stir till well combined. Add chopped Basil, stir and take off the heat.
- Serve with parmesan and enjoy.
Notes
- If the tomato is tart, add a pinch of sugar to the sauce.
- Although you can use long pasta like linguine, or spaghetti, short pasta like rigatoni, or penne, is best for this recipe as they retain sauce in the hollows.
- Heavy cream can be substituted for canned coconut milk.
- Add cayenne for a spicy kick.
- Serve with Parmesan for a creamy cheesy kick.
- Add some spinach towards the end of cooking if you wish.
- You can add vegetables like peas, mushrooms, and carrots.
- Best served hot.
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