Easy and Delicious Creamy Tomato Pasta Sauce

Name: Easy and Delicious Creamy Tomato Pasta Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 30 grams butter (2 tablespoons); 1/2 onion (finely chopped, see notes); 3 garlic cloves (finely diced); 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 70 grams tomato paste (1/4 cup); 3/4 cup cream; 40 grams parmesan (finely grated); 1 tablespoon lemon juice; Salt to taste; 200 grams dried pasta or 300 grams fresh

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Want an insanely delicious and easy dinner in 10 minutes? This creamy tomato sauce is a staple recipe you need to add to your repertoire. Made with simple ingredients, this luscious and glossy sauce is perfect for busy weeknights or equally to impress friends and family. A creamy parmesan packed sauce with a tomato paste base and a squeeze of lemon for the perfect finishing touch.

White plate with rigatoni pasta in a glossy creamy tomato pasta sauce. Grated parmesan cheese on top and a fork resting into pasta.

Hi! I am updating this creamy tomato pasta recipe as I had never made a video for it and basically that was all the excuse I needed to make it. The sad part of being a food blogger is that I don't get to remake my recipes as much as I would like. This recipe is the exception, I truly do make this probably the most out of all of them.

I have actually simplified the recipe down slightly. It used to have white wine but when I made it at home I always skipped it and the lemon juice adds enough acidity. It also had anchovies which you can definitely still add. But I love how now it has just staple ingredients you might already have.

People either love a tomato or a creamy pasta sauce right? I am in the creamy/butter camp and my husband Dave is tomato sauce all the way so this recipe (known as a pink sauce) brings our two worlds together! It's a great recipe for the whole family, you could throw some fresh spinach in too.

If you want some other tomato based recipes, try:

A white plate with pici pasta in a creamy tomato pasta sauce, burrata and fresh basil. A fork in the pasta.

Ingredients

These are the main simple ingredients but if you want to make it even quicker you could leave out the onion. Sometimes dicing an onion is just too hard basket after a long day, don't you agree?!

Diced onion - As I said above you could leave it out if you wish.

Garlic - Fresh garlic cloves are the best option, finely diced.

Tomato paste - Tomato paste needs to be cooked out for a few mins.

Cream - Lots of recipes use whipping or heavy cream but my preference is single or light cream. I find a creamy pasta sauce can get quite thick, especially once it's off the heat.

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.

Lemon juice - I use freshly squeezed lemon juice in 99% of my recipes, it adds much needed freshness to a rich dish.

Ingredients on a white bench top. Fom top a ramekin of cream, choped onion, grated parmesan, cloves of garlic, tomato paste, cubes of butter and a ramekin of black pepper.

Expert Tips

Have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go. This sauce comes together pretty quick so I like to have all my ingredients neatly prepared and my bench cleared down.
Weigh your pasta portions. It's a 2 second job and ensures the perfect pasta to sauce ratio. I generally allow 100 grams of dried per person or 150 grams fresh pasta.
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.
I try and time my cooking so that when the pasta is done, the sauce is ready too. That way I can transfer the cooked pasta straight into the sauce from the water. The pasta cooking water is then sitting in the pot for me to use as I need.
If you need to drain the pasta before the sauce is done make sure you reserve a cup of pasta water first.

How to make this recipe

The full ingredient list, method and a short tutorial video are in the recipe card below.

Onion frying in a stainless steel fry pan with a wooden spoon.

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.

Pepper and garlic being mixed into onions with a wooden spoon.

TWO: Add the garlic and pepper and mix well, cook for a further minute.

Tomato paste being whisked into onion mixture in the pan.

THREE: Add the tomato paste and let it cook for a minute or two, stirring.

Cream being poured into the pan from a ramekin.

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. A flat whisk is a great investment!

Grated parmesan added to top of the sauce.

SIX: Add the grated parmesan cheese in a few separate lots, letting it melt into the sauce between each addition.

Cooked rigatoni pasta bubbling in sauce in the fry pan.

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.

Cooked orecchiette with a creamy tomato pasta sauce on a white plate with fork

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. I couldn't make a sauce without it.

I never EVER drain my pasta in a colander, I always transfer it directly to the sauce using a spider strainer. That way the pasta pot full of water is left there for you to ladle in as you need.

If you have seen my reels on instagram you'll notice my sauces are SAUCY. 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!

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Try this baked version!

Try this similar baked pasta alla vodka, it's insanely good!

Get the recipe

What pasta shape should I use?

I don't like rules OK? Use whatever you like!! Any long or short pasta will be perfect. This sauce will literally go with any shape, fresh or dried. Feel like making some pasta from scratch? You're in the right place. Use my easy homemade pasta dough to make some homemade pappardelle. It is the easiest shape to make and SO good with a luscious sauce like this one.

If you know me at all, you know I love a hand rolled shape, orecchiette being my one true love. Check out my semolina pasta dough to make it or hand rolled gnocchi sardi, a really great beginner shape.

homemade orecchiette on a tray lined with baking paper.

Topping ideas

I always like to add something to the top of my pastas and there are so many options! You could do some crispy sage as in the photo above or another idea for crunch is the panko topping in my nduja mac and cheese recipe.

Some torn buratta and fresh basil leaves are a wonderful fresh option. I like to finish most plates with a little drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a little sprinkling of red pepper flakes can be divine too.

creamy tomato pasta sauce on some orecchiette and crispy sage

Want to take this sauce up a notch?

I recently used this sauce as a base and added some broken up pork and fennel sausage into it. The resulting creamy tomato and sausage pasta is like a cheats ragu as it is so flavoursome but really quick. Sausage adds such a dreamy savoury kick to this creamy sauce so you absolutely HAVE to try it!

pappardelle cooked in a creamy tomato and sausage sauce on a white plate with a fork.

Creamy tomato pasta sauce FAQ

How much pasta do I need per person?

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.

What should you serve with pasta?

I usually opt for a simple and fresh iceberg wedge salad. It's a rich meal so something crisp and fresh cuts through it perfectly. For something really easy just serve some wedges of iceberg lettuce on a platter, drizzle with a nice olive oil and sprinkle with finely grated parmesan.

What kind of cream should I use?

Creams are all called slightly different things in different countries. Here in New Zealand, for cooking I use single cream. In America that is light cream, 18% - 30% fat. Anything heavier will be too thick. You can obviously thin down the consistency with starchy pasta water though so feel free to use what you prefer.

Why has my sauce split?

The most common reason for this is your temperature being too high. You just want a really gentle simmer. Lower heat is best for control. When you add the cream in, give it a really good whisk to emulsify. Add the parm in a few lots, letting it gently melt in between each addition.

Can I store any leftovers?

I'm secretly judging if you have leftovers and truth be told I don't love reheating pasta from the fridge. It will keep in an airtight container for 2 days if you must!

Cooked pasta in the stainless steel fry pan on a white bench top. Serving spoon resting in.

Want some other dishes to try?

Check out my recipe section for all sorts of easy pasta dishes, from homemade shapes to more quick sauces. My Guide to the Best Butter Sauce for Pasta is well worth a read with a few different buttery options. For something else tomato based you should make my Cheesy Baked Gnocchi in a Tomato Sauce. My simple Tomato and Nduja Sauce is such a fantastic staple.

Rigatoni in a foamy brown butter on a white plate. Crispy sage leaves on top and a fork resting in. — Butter Sauce Guide

Round casserole dish with baked gnocchi in a tomato sauce. Golden cheese on top and fresh basil leaves. — Butter Sauce Guide

Made this pasta sauce and loved it?

I would love it so much if you could leave me a review below! Also, if you take a photo make sure you tag me on instagram so I can see it!

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