Basil Garlic Creamy Pasta (Printable)

A comforting one-pot meal combining creamy tomato sauce with garlic and fresh basil for simple elegance.

# What You 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 cloves garlic, 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 freshly 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, plus extra for garnish
14 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Water

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

# How To Make It:

01 - Warm olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add finely chopped onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and optional red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine thoroughly.
04 - Pour in pasta and water or vegetable broth, ensuring pasta is fully submerged. Bring mixture to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 12 to 14 minutes. Stir occasionally until pasta is al dente and most liquid is absorbed.
06 - Stir in heavy cream and freshly grated Parmesan. Cook uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce becomes creamy.
07 - Remove from heat, fold in chopped basil, and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Plate immediately, garnishing with additional basil and Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • One pot means one sink—the real hero of a weeknight dinner.
  • Garlic and basil transform canned tomatoes into something that tastes like you've been simmering it for hours.
  • The pasta soaks up flavor as it cooks, so every bite tastes intentional rather than bland.
  • It's fast enough for a Tuesday but fancy enough to serve when people come over.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial onion sauté—rushing this step means you lose the subtle sweetness that keeps the sauce from tasting one-note and sharp.
  • Stir the pasta occasionally while it simmers because it will stick to the bottom and burn if you ignore it, and burnt pasta taste ruins everything no matter what else you do.
  • Add the basil after the heat is off so it stays vibrant green; cooked basil tastes stale and bitter compared to fresh basil folded in at the end.
03 -
  • Taste the sauce before adding salt because canned tomatoes vary wildly in sodium—you might need less salt than the recipe suggests, or more.
  • If your sauce breaks or gets oily after adding cream, whisk in a tablespoon of pasta water to bring it back together, which works almost every time.
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