Creamy tomato pasta with basil

Name: Creamy tomato pasta with basil
Prep time: 31 min
Cook time: 9 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2 Servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 200 g Penne or other short pasta; 300 g Passata; 85 ml Heavy cream, at least 30% fat; 60 g Onion, peeled; 6 g Garlic, peeled; 15 g Tomato paste; 15 ml Olive oil; 5 g Fresh basil; 10 g Salt for the pasta water; 1 g Salt for the sauce; 1 g Black pepper; 2,000 ml Water for boiling pasta

AI-generated

Preparation time31 min

Total time40 min

DifficultyEasy

Instructions

0/7 complete

Step 1Start heating the pasta 4,000 ml water. Chop the 120 g onion and 12 g garlic finely. Rinse the 10 g basil, pat it dry and pull off its leaves.
Step 2Heat the 30 ml olive oil in a large pan. Soften the 120 g onion over medium heat for about 4 minutes, then stir in the 12 g garlic for 30 seconds. Add the 30 g tomato paste and cook gently for one more minute.
Step 3Add the tomato 600 g passata and the 2 g sauce salt. Simmer uncovered over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thicker.
Step 4Salt the boiling water and cook the 400 g penne according to the package until just al dente. Reserve a cup of 20 g pasta cooking water before draining.
Step 5Lower the heat, mix in the 170 ml cream and warm the sauce gently for about 2 minutes.
Step 6Add the drained 400 g penne to the pan and toss with the sauce for one minute. Gradually add a little reserved pasta water until each noodle has a thin, even coating.
💡 Kitchen tip
Add only a small amount of reserved pasta water at first. Add more as necessary to help the sauce coat the penne without becoming watery.
Step 7Tear the 10 g basil into pieces and mix it into the pasta with the 1 g pepper. Taste and serve immediately.

About this recipe

Pasta with tomato sauce is an emblem of Italian cooking, although tomatoes only arrived in Europe from the Americas in the sixteenth century. Printed recipes pairing pasta and tomatoes appeared in Naples in the nineteenth century. The cream used in this recipe is a contemporary variation, not a historically fixed ingredient of classic pasta al pomodoro. This vegetarian penne dish works for an easy lunch, a family dinner or a quick meal with friends. Slowly softened onion and garlic add depth to the bright tomato sauce. Warm the cream gently and finish by tossing the cooked pasta in the pan. A little starchy cooking water helps the sauce cling evenly to the penne. Add fresh basil just before serving for its aroma, and eat promptly because the pasta keeps absorbing moisture.

Similar recipes

AI-generated

Creamy spinach penne with cherry tomatoes and Parmesan

42 minEasy

AI-generated

East German pasta with tomato sauce and Jagdwurst

39 minEasy

AI-generated

Fusilli with fresh basil pesto and pine nuts

38 minEasy

AI-generated

Spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino with parsley

25 minEasy

AI-generated

Thai coconut vegetable curry with rice

39 minEasy

AI-generated

Bavarian crispy pork roast with dark-beer gravy

245 minMedium

AI-generated

Turkish red lentil soup (Mercimek çorbası)

55 minEasy

AI-generated

Ham-and-cheese pancakes

58 minEasy

★ Ratings & comments

No published ratings yet.

Ratings are being configured and are not enabled yet.

Dietary label limitations

Vegetarian

Check cheese, baking powder, stock and prepared sauces for rennet, gelatine and other animal ingredients. Vegetarian does not mean vegan or allergen-free.

These dietary labels are guidance only; accuracy, completeness and individual tolerance are not guaranteed. Before preparing or eating the recipe, check every ingredient, current product labels, possible cross-contact and your personal requirements yourself. Confirm suitability only after your own assessment. Liability notice