Craving a quick, comforting pasta dinner? This creamy tomato pasta sauce is my go-to recipe when I need something fast, flavor-packed and utterly delicious. Made with tomato paste, cream, parmesan and a squeeze of lemon, it comes together in just 10 minutes to make the dreamiest pink sauce. Perfect for busy weeknights or to impress friends, this silky tomato-based pasta sauce clings beautifully to any shape and tastes like something straight out of a restaurant.
Over time I have simplified this recipe to make it even easier. It used to include white wine and anchovies but I found the fresh lemon juice gives it the right acidity. Now it is built entirely from pantry staples!
If you are torn between a tomato or creamy pasta sauce this creamy tomato (pink sauce) is the perfect middle ground. My husband Dave is team tomato and I am a creamy pasta sauce lover so this brings our two worlds together! It's a sauce that works with any pasta shape and will be a hit with the whole family, I promise!
If you want some other tomato based recipes, try:
Main ingredients
Diced onion - This really is optional and I often leave it out.
Garlic - Fresh garlic cloves are the best option, finely diced.
Tomato paste - Tomato paste needs to be cooked out for a few mins.
Cream - In USA use a heavy cream and you can always use extra pasta water to thin down. A single or light cream in other countries works well.
Parmesan cheese - It might sound strange but I like to blend up parmesan in a mini smoothie maker/bullet, it grinds it down into a nice powder consistency. Finely grated with a microplane or the star side of your box grater is great too!
Black Pepper - I LOVE pepper so always use it in every pasta sauce I make, I might be a little heavy handed so adjust to your preference.
Lemon juice - I use freshly squeezed lemon juice in 99% of my recipes, it adds much needed freshness to a rich dish. Make sure the heat is low when adding.
How to make this recipe
The full ingredient list, method and a short tutorial video are in the recipe card below, this is just for a visual reference.
ONE: In a large pan, fry the onion in olive oil and butter over a medium heat until softened, 4 - 5 minutes. Don't let them colour so turn the heat down if you need to.
TWO: Add the garlic and pepper and mix well, cook for a further minute.
THREE: Add the tomato paste and let it cook for a minute or two, stirring.
FOUR: Add the cream, you don't want a lot of heat here so switch to a low heat. The cream is at a very gentle simmer. Whisk together. Add the lemon juice and whisk in quickly.
FIVE: It will look a bit dodgy at first but it will come together to a nice orange sauce like this. I love a flat whisk for this.
SIX: Add the grated parmesan cheese in a few separate lots, letting it melt into the sauce between each addition.
SEVEN: Add your cooked pasta of choice straight into the sauce with a splash of pasta water and let it gently bubble away for a minute or two to thicken.
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Expert tips for making creamy tomato pasta sauce
- Prep before you start. This sauce cooks fast, so have everything chopped and ready to go.
- Weigh your pasta portions. Aim for 100 grams (3½ oz) dried or 150 grams (5 oz) fresh per person for the perfect sauce ratio.
- Use a large skillet to make sauce that the pasta will fit into at the end.
- Don't have your heat too high. The sauce should just be at a nice gentle simmer the whole time.
- Undercook your pasta! I always undercook dried pasta by a minute so it can finish cooking in the sauce and still be al dente. By letting pasta bubble away in the sauce you allow the pasta to take on flavor and it helps thicken the sauce too.
- Try to have the pasta and sauce finish together so you can move the pasta straight into the pan from the water.
- Save some pasta water. Always keep a cup on hand to loosen or thicken the sauce as needed.
Why starchy pasta water is your best friend!
You'll hear me harp on about the magic that is pasta water in 99% of my recipes. It really is a key ingredient in every sauce I make. The starch left behind in the water acts as a thickening agent and helps sauces cling to the pasta. The amount of water you use to cook your pasta plays a big role in how starchy it is!
My perfect ratio can be found in my guide to cooking the perfect pasta which is so worth reading. For 400 grams pasta (14 oz) I use 2.5 quarts of water and 1.5 tablespoons of salt.
Pasta soaks up liquid so quickly so I add enough pasta water to make it quite liquidy. By the time I serve into bowls and take to the table it hasn't dried up. You'll get to know what the right consistency is with some practice, you can't go wrong though I promise!
Try this baked version!
Try this similar baked pasta alla vodka, it's insanely good!
Topping ideas
Add something to finish your pasta, crispy sage for aroma, or the panko crunch from my Broccoli Pasta. For a fresh contrast, try torn burrata and basil, plus a drizzle of olive oil and red pepper flakes.
Recipe FAQs
Use what’s available, heavy or whipping cream in the U.S., or single/light cream elsewhere. You can always thin it with a splash of pasta water if it’s too thick.
This is all about personal preference. For big eaters (I include myself in that!) around 100g - 120g of dried pasta or 150g of fresh is about what I aim for per person.
It’s best fresh, but will keep up to 2 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat gently with a splash of water or cream to loosen the sauce.
This creamy tomato sauce works with any shape, long or short, fresh or dried! If you’re making homemade, try my pasta dough recipe to make some pappardelle. Another favorite shape is my homemade orecchiette.
Check out my creamy tomato and sausage pasta, it's the best. You could also toss through some cooked chicken breast or thighs at the end.
Some other dishes to try?
I hope this becomes one of your new go-to weeknight recipes. Once you make this creamy tomato pasta sauce from scratch, it’s hard to go back to jarred sauce again, it’s that good!
Check out my recipe section for all sorts of easy pasta dishes, from homemade shapes to more quick sauces.
Did you make this recipe?
I would LOVE it if you could leave a review and star rating down below. Also please tag me on Instagram if you share a photo of the dish!
Recipe
Creamy Tomato Pasta Sauce (easy and delicious!)
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 30 grams butter 2 tablespoons
- ½ onion finely chopped, see notes
- 3 garlic cloves finely diced
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 70 grams tomato paste ¼ cup
- ¾ cup cream
- 40 grams parmesan finely grated
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- 200 grams dried pasta or 300 grams fresh
Instructions
- Get a pot of heavily salted water boiling for your pasta and cook pasta, timing it to add straight into the sauce at the end. (see note below) If you drain the pasta before sauce is ready make sure to reserve a mug of the pasta water first.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a big frying pan over medium - high heat and add onions.
- When sizzling, lower the heat to medium - low and cook for 4 - 5 minutes until soft.
- Add the garlic and pepper and cook for a further minute or two. Nothing should be browning so turn the heat to low if you need.
- Add the tomato paste and whisk to combine, cooking for a minute or two.
- With the heat still low - medium add the cream and whisk to combine evenly. The cream should only ever be at a VERY gentle simmer so adjust heat to low if you need.
- Add the lemon juice and whisk in quickly. If you ever have trouble with it curdling your sauce you can put it in at the end with the cooked pasta.
- Add the finely grated parmesan in three separate lots, whisking in between to make sure it has melted.
- Add your pasta straight into the sauce with a splash of pasta water (about ¼ cup). Let the pasta bubble away in the sauce gently for a minute or two to thicken the sauce. Loosen with more pasta water if you need to.
- Taste for seasoning and add salt to taste.
- Serve and enjoy. I love to add some extra parmesan and black pepper plus some fresh basil leaves never go astray.
- Check out video below to see it come together.
Video
Notes
- Onion - If you live in the USA you might not be aware your onions are HUGE! My half onion was about 70 grams.
- Timing of cooking the pasta is something you will get used to the more you make the recipe. If your dried pasta is going to take 11 - 12 minutes to boil then start the sauce about 3 - 4 minutes into the pasta cooking.
- Pasta water is a pasta sauce's best friend, this one only needs a splash but make sure you always reserve some before draining. That is why I add my pasta straight from the pot into the sauce, no draining, so there is a full pot of pasta water sitting there.
- I try to make my pasta sauces quite 'saucy' so you might think you have far too much sauce but as it sits the pasta will soak it up quickly. By the time you spoon it into bowls and get it to the table you'll see a lot has been reduced. I would always rather have too much than too little!
- Serve it with my easy iceberg wedge salad!
K Gabbs says
Delightful, comforting, and not too complicated! Like Mac and Cheese's sophisticated cousin.
Emilie Pullar says
Love this description! Thank you so much for making it 🙂
Megan Hines says
Amazing!! I've been looking for a restaurant style pasta like this, this one is perfect. I had to make a couple subs for what I had on hand. I used a regular size can of tomato sauce instead of the paste and just used less pasta water. I also did not have fresh been so I used canned cream de media. It was amazing and perfect. I will be making this on repeat! Thank you!!
Jen Roche says
Excellent! My only recommendation would be to double the recipe because you are going to want seconds!
Emilie Pullar says
hahaha great advice!! Thanks so much for making it Jen!
Mary Macaluso says
So easy to make, and so hearty and delicious.
Emilie Pullar says
Thanks so much for making it Mary! Always my easy go-to 🙂
saige says
yummy! it was really good but I think I did it a tad wrong so it tasted a bit funky but besides my mistake, it tasted really good and creamy
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Saige! Oh no! Happy to troubleshoot if you need? - Emilie 🙂
Jules C says
Easy AND delicious. Adding to my weekly rotation!!
Emilie Pullar says
Yay thanks so much Jules! 🙂
Theo says
this may be the best thing i’ve ever made. so easy and absolutely delightful.
Emilie Pullar says
So glad you enjoyed it so much Theo!! Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Christine says
Made this for dinner last night and it was great! I just added cherry tomatoes and chili flakes for extra pizzazz lol
Emilie Pullar says
Love the additions!! Thanks so much for making it Christine, appreciate it so much 🙂
Sara says
I made this tonight, after making your The best creamy chicken pasta recipe last week, and I just wanted to say they are both so so delicious. I was so proud of both dishes, they are just wonderful flavours and the recipes are easy to follow. I would even go as far to say I would consider them restaurant quality. The lemon flavour is just so good and I put bacon in both dishes and was pleasantly surprised that the bacon and lemon combo is really good! Just such a delicious creamy pasta sauce. My husband on both occasions finished all the leftovers and said he wishes there were more! Thank you, I'm so glad I found your page, I'm going to keep making these dishes.
Emilie Pullar says
Thanks so much for such a lovely review Sara! So so glad you have enjoyed both recipes and so great to hear you found them easy to follow too 🙂