This perfectly Creamy Tomato Pasta recipe is made with real, simple ingredients and can be made in under 30 minutes! Making it a great option for an easy weeknight dinner. It is quickly going to become a new favorite recipe for the whole family!
The Best Creamy Tomato Pasta
Quick and easy dinner recipes for busy weeknights are meals that are always on on our weekly menu plan! They need to be made in under 30 minutes and we love all that most of the ingredients we typically have on hand. The whole family loves the creamy texture of this simple pasta recipe that is full of great flavor! Serve with some oven baked chicken cutlets and enjoy!
Looking for More Easy Pasta Recipes?
If you love pasta as much as we do, you definitely need to try our Chicken Piccata Pasta or Pumpkin Mac and Cheese!
What You Will Need
- rigatoni or pennoni pasta noodles – we used pennoni pasta, but any other short-cut pasta like that would work!
- butter – adds a wonderfully rich flavor and sautés the garlic and onion.
- sweet yellow onion & garlic – classic aromatic ingredients that really bring great flavor!
- dried oregano, dried basil, & kosher salt – basic seasonings that are always great when making an Italian inspired dish.
- tomato paste – the tomato base to this flavorful pasta recipe!
- basil pesto – we love grabbing some from the local grocery store, but you can also make a homemade pesto.
- creamer of choice – you can use half & half, but we love to lighten things up with NutPods Original Creamer (unsweetened and unflavored).
- parmesan cheese – a wonderfully salty cheese that keeps this recipe super creamy!
- reserved pasta water – we like to reserve some of the pasta water to help thin out the sauce if it gets a bit too thick.
- toppings: freshly grated parmesan & fresh basil leaves
How To Make A Creamy Tomato Pasta
To start making this easy tomato pasta recipe, bring a large cast iron skillet to a medium-high heat and add 3 tablespoons of butter to melt. Then toss in the the onion and garlic to sauté until fragrant.
Next, toss in all the seasonings and mix to combine.
Then add the basil pesto, tomato paste, and creamer. Mix to fully combine. Now add 1/3 cup of parmesan cheese and salt. Mix to combine and let the cheese melt to a wonderfully creamy texture.
Once the pasta is cooked to al dente, drain, and rinse with cold water.
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, along with the other 3 tablespoons of butter.
Pro tip: add a splash of the reserved pasta water a little bit at a time to help thin out the pasta sauce if it is getting too thick.
Mix everything to fully combine and enjoy any way you want.
Best Ways To Serve A Creamy Tomato Pasta
This delicious pasta recipe can be enjoyed all on its own but if you are looking to add a protein into the mix, we love to enjoy with some oven baked chicken cutlets! Some cooked Italian sausage or sliced smoked sausage would also be great. Just make sure you add some freshly grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves on top!
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Other Pasta Recipes You Might Like
Creamy Tomato Pasta
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Description
Creamy Tomato Pasta – this easy and simple creamy tomato pasta is quick but packed with flavor! Perfect for a busy weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 lb rigatoni pasta or pennoni pasta, cooked al dente*
- 6 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, minced
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
- pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/2 cup tomato paste
- 1/4 cup basil pesto
- 1 cup Nutpods unsweetened/unflavored creamer OR half-and-half**
- 2/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated and divided
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
- reserved pasta water (approx. 1 cup – you might not use it all)
- topping: additional grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Cook pasta al dente according to package instructions, reserve 1 cup pasta water.
- Meanwhile, in a deep, 12 inch cast iron skillet (or braiser) add 3 tablespoon butter and let melt. Swirl to coat the pan. Add onion and garlic. Move around pan until garlic becomes fragrant and onion softens.
- Add oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, tomato paste, basil pesto and creamer of your choice (See notes). Stir to combine. Add 1/3 cup parmesan cheese and kosher salt. Stir continuously and turn down the heat as the cheese melt. Taste and add any additional salt, as desired (everyone’s tastes differ).
- Add drained pasta to the skillet along with the 3 remaining tablespoons of butter, the remaining 1/3 cup parmesan cheese and a splash of pasta water. Stir to combine. Add any additional splashes of pasta water, as needed, to thin the sauce and ensure it coats the pasta. And if you don’t serve the pasta immediately, save the pasta water and a splash or two will revive the sauce right before serving.
- Serve pasta with additional grated parmesan cheese and some freshly chopped basil leaves. We also love serving this with these Baked Chicken Cutlets!
Notes
- *Pasta: I used pennoni pasta (found it at Target), but rigatoni or any other short-cut pasta should work just fine here.
- **Creamer: I love lightening this recipe up by using the Nutpods Original (unsweetened and unflavored) creamer. It works perfectly and you cannot even tell the difference. Of course, use what works best for you.
- Storage: store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you want to save the pasta water and add some to the pasta to help revive it as you reheat it, feel free!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6oz
- Calories: 378
- Sugar: 4.1 g
- Sodium: 296.3 mg
- Fat: 15.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 48.1 g
- Protein: 11.7 g
- Cholesterol: 27.7 mg
Alexandra Boyd says
Do i need a cast iron skillet for this recipe to come out right?
Erin says
You could really use any deep pan – a braiser would also work really well!